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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: kumbamary5@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2005 01:13:58 -0800
Subject: TRANSFER ASSISTANCE/JOINT VENTURE.

FROM:Mrs. MARY KUMBA.
TEL: +27 83 540 1190
EMAIL .kumbamary@yahoo.com

TRANSFER ASSISTANCE/JOINT VENTURE.

Dear Sir,

How are you? I know you may be surprised to receive this letter. Please consider this letter as a request from a widow. Firstly, I am MRS MARY KUMBA the wife of Late MR. SMITH KUMBA who was recently murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe.
I assure you that nobody knows about this except my only sons and me. Before the death of my husband, he had taken me to Johannesburg, South Africa to deposit the sum of US$22.Million (Twenty-two Million United States Dollars) in a private Security Company, when He foresees the looming danger in Zimbabwe. This money was deposited as family Valuables to avoid much demurrage cost from the Security Company.
This amount was meant for the purchase of new machines and chemicals for the farms and also for the establishment of a new farm in Swaziland. The land disputes started when Zimbabwe President MR. ROBERT MUGABE introduced a new Land Act reform, which wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few black farmers. This resulted to many killings by Zimbabwe war veterans
and some unscrupulous elements in the society. In fact, a lot of people were killed because of
this land reformed Act for which my husband was one of the victims.
It is on this background that My family and I, who are currently staying in South Africa as refugees decided to transfer my Husband's money to a foreign country since the laws of South Africa prohibits refugees from opening any bank account or to be involved in any financial transaction throughout the territorial zones of South Africa.
Please, I need your assistance to transfer this fund to your trusted overseas bank account. For your efforts and assistance, I have agreed to give you 25% of the total sum, while 5% is mapped out to re-imbrues all the expenses you will incurs in the course of this transaction and 70% will be for my family's investment in your country.
Note that this transaction is 100% Trouble free and Risk-Free on both sides, as I have made
Arrangements for the successful deal. As such, the only thing I ask from you is total assistance to transfer this money, complete trust and assurance that my own part of money will be safe when transferred to your account. Kindly keep this business proposal highly confidential for security
reasons.
If you are interested in assisting me, call my son MARTINS who is currently in South Africa through telephone number +27 83 540 1190or email him at kumbamary@yahoo.com
Thanking you in anticipation to your co-operation. Looking forward to your urgent reply, God Bless.
Yours sincerely,
MRS.MARY KUMBA
(For The Family)





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