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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Fraud email example:

From: "NELSON NZAMBO" <weedmail@123.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: nnzonline@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2004 05:46:15 +0100
Subject: Please Assist Me

ATTN: Chairman/CEO


DEAR FRIEND,

MY GREETINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND I HOPE THIS LETTER MEETS YOU IN GOOD HEALTH. I AM NELSON NZAMBO, AIDE TO THE LATE PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE-SEKO OF ZAIRE NOW KNOWN AS DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC). I AM WRITING TO YOU IN GOOD FAITH TO ASSIST ME IN A PENDING BUSINESS TRANSACTION OF IMMENSE MAGNITUDE.

I AM MOVED TO WRITE YOU THIS LETTER IN CONFIDENCE CONSIDERING MY PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE AND SITUATION AS A REFUGEE HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA. FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE LATE PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE-SEKO WAS FORCED OUT OF POWER, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY HIM TO MAKE AVAILABLE THE SUM OF US$22 MILLION AND A PORTFOLIO BAG FULL OF RAW GEM STONES DIAMOND WHICH WAS TO BE TRANSFERRED ABROAD AND LODGED IN MY NAME WITH A SECURITY COMPANY FOR SAFEKEEPING DISCLOSED AS FAMILY VALUABLES, PENDING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. TWO WEEKS LATER ON MAY 16 1997, PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE-SEKO GAVE UP POWER TO THE REBELS LED BY LAURENT KABILA, WHO WERE ADVANCING FROM KISINGANI AND FLED TO TOGO FROM WHERE HE LATER MOVED TO MOROCCO WHERE HE DIED ON SEPTEMBER 7, 1997 LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS AFTER HE WAS FORCED OUT OF POWER. HE WAS AGED 66 YEARS. I MANAGED TO ESCAPE TO SOUTH AFRICA WITH MY SON PATRICE AGED 15, WHERE I AM PRESENTLY RESIDING AS A REFUGEE SHORTLY AFTER THE CAPITAL CITY KINSHASHA WAS OVER RUN OVER BY REBELS.

I LOST MY WIFE AND TWO OF MY CHILDREN, AND ALL MY POSSESSIONS DURING THE REBEL ONSLAUGHT ON THE CAPITAL CITY. THE LATE MOBUTU SESE-SEKO DURING HIS 30 YEAR RULE AMASSED A PERSONAL FORTUNE OF US$8BILLION WITH HOUSES IN SWITZERLAND AND FRANCE. HOWEVER, THE INCUMBENT PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE SWISS GOVERNMENT AND OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TO FREEZE ALL HIS ASSETS AND CONFISCATE HIS PROPERTIES. I THUS DECIDED TO LIE LOW IN AFRICA TO STUDY THE SITUATION, UNTIL WHEN THINGS GET BETTER LIKE NOW THAT PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA IS DEAD AND HIS SON JOSEPH KABILA HAS TAKEN OVER.

I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY ABROAD WHERE THE MONEY AND THE DIAMOND IS STILL LODGED AS FAMILY VALUABLES. THE FUNDS ARE SECURITY CODED TO PREVENT THEM FROM KNOWING THE CONTENT. WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS TO INDICATE YOUR INTEREST THAT YOU WILL ASSIST ME BY RECEIVING THE MONEY AND THE DIAMOND ON MY BEHALF. ACKNOWLEDGE THIS MESSAGE SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU THE MODALITIES FOR THE CLAIM OF THE FUNDS AND THE DIAMOND, MAY I AT THIS POINT EMPHASIZE THE HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENTIALITY WHICH THIS BUSINESS DEMANDS, AND HOPE YOU WILL NOT BETRAY THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE WHCH I HAVE REPOSED IN YOU.

IF YOU WANT TO ASSIST, I SHALL PUT YOU IN THE PICTURE OF THE BUSINESS, TELL YOU WHERE THE FUNDS ARE CURRENTLY BEIGN ANTAINED AND ALSO DISCUSS OTHER MODALITIES INCLUDING REMUNERATION FOR YOUR SERVICES. I AM WILLING TO GIVE YOU A REASONABLE PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY, WHILE YOU FIND ME A BUYER FOR THE DIAMOND AS SOON AS THE TRANSACTION IS CONCLUDED.

FOR THIS REASON, KINDLY FURNISH ME YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, WHICH IS YOUR PERSONAL TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR CONFIDENTIAL PURPOSE AND ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS MAIL USING THE ABOVE EMAIL ADDRESS.

YOURS SINCERELY,


NELSON NZAMBO.
EMAIL: nnzonline@yahoo.com
Fax: +44-8701243478




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