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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: "Donald Mark" <macdon86@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 14:50:43 +0000
Subject: Please do get back to me.

Dear ,

I am DR.MARK DONALD, a native of Cape Town in South Africa and I am an
Executive accountant with the South Africa Department of Minerals & Energy
First and Foremost my apology, for using this medium to reach you, for a
transaction/business of this nature.I have decided to seek a confidential
cooperation with you in the execution of the deal described hereunder for
the benefit of all parties and hope you will keep it as a top secret because
of the nature of this transaction. Within the department of Minerals &
Energy where I work as an executive accountant and with the cooperation of
four other top officials, we have in our possession as overdue payments
bills totalling twenty-one million, five Hundred thousand U.S Dollars
($21,500,000) which we want to transfer abroad with the assistance and
cooperation of a foreign company/individual to receive the said funds on our
behalf or a reliable foreign company account to receive such funds. More so,
we are handicapped in the circumstances, as the South Africa Code of Conduct
does not allow us to operate offshore account hence your importance in the
whole transaction. This amount $21.5m represents the balance of the total
contract value executed on behalf of my department by a foreign contracting
firm, which we the officials over-invoiced deliberately. Though the actual
contract cost have been paid to the original contractor, leaving the balance
in the tune of the said amount which we have in principles gotten approval
to remit by Telegraphic transfer (TT) to any foreign bank account you will
provide by filing in an application through the Justice Ministry here in
South Africa for the transfer of rights and privileges of the former
contractor to you. I have the authority of my partners involved to propose
that should you be willing to assist us in the transaction your share of the
sum will be 30% of the $21, 5 million, 60% for us and 10% for taxation and
miscellaneous expenses. The business itself is 100% safe, on your part
provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality. Also your
area of specialization is not a hindrance to the successful execution of
this transaction. I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will
not disappoint me. Endeavour to contact me immediately through my above Tel.
or Fax number whether or not you are interested in this deal. If you are
not, it will enable me scout for another foreign partner to carry out this
deal. I want to assure you that my partners and myself are in a position to
make the payment of this claim possible provided you can give us a very
strong assurance and guarantee that our share will be secured and please
remember to treat this matter as very confidential, because we will not
comprehend with any form of exposure as we are still in active Government
Service and remember once again that time is of the essence in this
business. I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.you can write
to me through this email address for details;(macdon86@hotmail.com)

Yours faithfully,

DR. MARK DONALD.

_________________________________________________________________
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