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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: patmasinga@mailbox.co.za
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 07:12:50 +0200
Subject: INCREASED NEED FOR PARTNERSHIP CO-OPERATION

FROM: MR. PATRICK MASINGA.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA.

FAX: 27 732 742 076,
TEL: 27 839 820 957

SIR,


THIS LETTER IS MEANT TO CONTACT YOU FOLLOWING KNOWLEDGE OF
YOUR ESTEEMED
SELF TO HELP US OUT OF THIS DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT MY
FAMILY HAS BEEN
ENGULFED IN SINCE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER AND THE
BREADWINNER OF OUR FAMILY
WHO WAS RECENTLY MURDERED IN THE LAND DISPUTE IN ZIMBABWE.
SO PLEASE,
CONSIDER THIS AS A REQUEST FROM A FAMILY IN DIRE NEED OF
ASSISTANCE.

I AM PATRICK MASINGA FROM ZIMBABWE, THE FIRST AND THE ONLY
SON OF LATE DR.
SAMUEL MASINGA COMMUNICATING TO YOU FROM JOHANNESBURG,
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH
AFRICA. I, ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY DECIDED TO SOLICIT FOR
YOUR ASSISTANCE TO
TRANSFER THE SUM OF US$20.5MILLOIN (TWENTY MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATE DOLLARS) INHERITED FROM MY LATE FATHER INTO
YOUR COMPANY OR
PRIVATE BANK ACCOUNT.

BEFORE HIS DEATH, MY FATHER ON ONE OF HIS MANY TRIPS ABROAD
TOOK ME TO
JOHANNESBURG TO DEPOSIT THE SUM OF US$20.5 MILLION (TWENTY
MILLION, FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) WITH A PRIVATE
SECURITY COMPANY AS
IF HE FORESAW THE LOOMING DANGER IN ZIMBABWE. THE MONEY WAS
DEPOSITED WITH
THE SECURITY COMPANY ON OUR ARRIVAL IN JOHANNESBURG LARGELY
FOR ITS SAFETY.
THE SOURCE OF THIS MONEY WAS FOR PURCHASE OF AGRO ALLIED
FARM EQUIPMENT FOR
THE GOVERNMENT. THIS LAND PROBLEM AROSE WHEN PRESIDENT
MUGABE WHO ACCORDING
TO MY LATE FATHER, IN A DESPERATE BID TO HOLD ON TO POWER
FOR LIFE
INTRODUCED A NEW LAND ACT, WHICH WHOLLY AFFECTED THE RICH
FARMERS WHO WERE
MOSTLY WHITE AND SOME BLACKS VEHEMENTLY CONDEMNED THE
METHOD ADOPTED BY THE
GOVERNMENT. AND THAT RESULTED IN RAMPANT KILLINGS, LOOTING
AND WIDE SCALE
MOB ACTIONS BY THE VETERANS AND SOME POLITICAL THUGS.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY LATE
FATHER WAS AMONG THE FEW BLACK ZIMBABWEAN RICH FARMERS
MURDERED IN COLD
BLOOD BY THE AGENTS OF THE RULING GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT
ROBERT MUGABE, FOR
HIS ALLEGED OPPOSITION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW LAND
ACT. HEADS OF
GOVERNMENT FROM THE WESTERN WORLD, ESPECIALLY BRITAIN AND
THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA HAVE VOICED THEIR CONDEMNATION AGAINST MUGABE'S
ACTIONS.

AS IT STANDS NOW, I AM THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS ACCESS TO
THE MONEY AND THE
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR ITS COLLECTION. FROM THE
ABOVE, YOU WILL
UNDERSTAND THAT THE LIVES AND FUTURE OF MY FAMILY DEPEND ON
THIS FUND AS
SUCH I WILL BE GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN ASSIST US. WE ARE NOW
LIVING IN SOUTH
AFRICAN AS POLITICAL ASYLUM SEEKERS AND THE FINANCIAL LAWS
AND REGULATIONS
OF SOUTH AFRICA DO NOT PERMIT US CERTAIN FINANCIAL RIGHTS.
IN VIEW OF THIS,
I CANNOT INVEST THIS MONEY IN SOUTH AFRICA HENCE MY ASKING
YOU TO ASSIST ME
TO TRANSFER IT OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES
IN YOUR COUNTRY.

FOR YOUR EFFORTS, WE ARE PREPARED TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE
TOTAL SUM WHILE
10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURRED DURING THE
COURSE OF THIS
TRANSACTION AND THE REMAINING 70% FOR THE FAMILY'S
INVESTMENT ABROAD. PLEASE
NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS RISK-FREE AND THE MAJOR THING
I ASK OF YOU IS
TO ASSURE ME THE SAFETY OF THE MONEY WHEN TRANSFERRED INTO
YOUR ACCOUNT.
FURTHER INFORMATION AND ARRANGEMENT WILL COMMENCE AS SOON
AS TRUST,
CONFIDENCE AND GOOD RELATIONSHIP IS ESTABLISHED. I SHALL BE
MOST GRATEFUL IF
YOU MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THIS MATTER.

THANK YOU AS I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE VIA THE
TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER ABOVE
FOR MORE DETAILS AND DON'T FORGET TO KEEP EVERY INFORMATION
REGARDING THIS
AS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL.

BEST REGARDS,


MR. PATRICK MASINGA

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