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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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: "Refilwe Mugenbeni" <refilwemugenbeni@netscape.net>
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:21:45 +0200
Subject: Department of Minning &Energy (D.M.E)

Engr.Refilwe Mugenbeni
Pretoria
South Africa
Private Email:refilwemugenbeni@netscape.net

FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION:

I am Engineer Refilwe Mugenbeni,a Native of Cape Town in
South Africa and I am an Engineer working with the South
Africa Department of Mining & Energy.

First and foremost I apologise for using this medium to
reach you for a transaction of this magnitude but this is
due to confidentiality and prompt access reposed on this
medium.

Be informed that a member of the South Africa Export
Promotion Council (SEPC) who was part of my government
delegation to your country during a recent Trade Exhibition
gave your enviable credentials/particulars to me while
assuring me on your competence to handle a business
transaction involving a large sum of money with absolute
confidentiality.

Therefore I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation
with you in the execution of the deal described hereunder
for the benefit of all parties and while hoping you will
keep it as top secret because of the nature of this
transaction.

Within the Department of Mining & Energy where I work as a
director and with the cooperation of three other top
officials, we have in our possession an overdue contract
payment bills totalling Thirty-six Million,four Hundred
Thousand united states dollars(S$36,400,000.00).This money
which we intend to process its transfer as a form of
contract payment into a reliable company/individual account
depending on your convenience.

Your assistance and co-operation is required due to the
circumstances surrounding our work as government officials
whereby the South Africa Civil Service Code of Conduct does
not allow us to operate an Offshore Bank account hence your
importance in the whole transaction.

Presently, this amount (US$36.4M) representing 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 is lying unclaimed in
the government escrow bank account with Reserve Bank of
South Africa.We hereby seek your assistance and co-operation
that will enable us to process this sum of money to you as a
form of contract payment.

We have the necessary authority to validate and forward
approvals of outstanding contract claims to the government
for final payment on approval through the Reserve Bank of
South Africa (SARB).

All partners agreed while mandating me to propose that
should you be willing to assist us in the transaction, your
share of the sum will be 25% of the US$36.4 million,70% will
be for us and 5% for any expenses incurred in the course of
this project including
telephone and fax bills.

The business itself is 100% safe on your part provided you
treat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality.Also note
that your area of specialisation is not an hindrance to the
successful execution of this transaction.

I have reposed my confidence in you while awaiting your
prompt response through the email address above or through
my private email:refilwemugenbeni@dmesfca.com to notify me
of your capability to assist us in achieving success in this
transaction.

Finally on your part,we will appreciate you treat this
transaction as a very confidential while we assure of a 100%
risk free transaction provided you follow our instruction
totally.

I await your confirmation of my message while praying that
this will be the begining of a lifelong partnership between
us. Thank you for your co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

Engr.Refilwe Mugenbeni

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam