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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: "hector komo" <hector_komo6@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 05 Jul 2005 11:07:03 +0000
Subject: CONTACT US

DEPARTMENT OF MINING AND NATURAL RESOURCES
PRETORIA



FROM: DR HECTOR KOMO
PHONE: 27-73-774-1055
FAX: +27-11-507-5168
PRIVATE EMAIL: hector_komo2@hotmail.com

Dear Friend ,

I pray this proposal meet your kind cooperation. I am DR HECTOR KOMO, a
native of Cape Town in South Africa and I am an Executive Accountant with
the South Africa Department of Mining & Natural Resources.

First and foremost, I apologized using this medium to reach you for a
transaction/business 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 at the Government
delegation to your country during a trade exhibition gave your enviable
credentials/particulars to me. I plea to seek a confidential co-operation
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 Mining & Natural Resources where I work as an
Executive Accountant and with the cooperation of two other top officials, we
have in our possession as overdue payment bills totaling Twenty Two Million,
Five Hundred And Sixty Thousand U. S. Dollars ($22,560,000.)
which we want to transfer abroad with the assistance and cooperation of a
foreign company/individual to receive the said fund on our behalf or a
reliable foreign non-company
account to receive such funds. More so, we are handicapped in the
circumstances, as the South Africa Civil Service Code of Conduct does not
allow us to operate offshore account hence your importance in the whole
transaction.

This amount $22.560m 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
(T.T) 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 this transaction that is 100% hitch free, your share
of the sum will be 25% of the $22.560 million, 70% for us and 5% 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.

Endeavor to contact me immediately through my above Tel number or my e-mail
address, 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
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.

To enable us start the process and remittance of this funds into your bank
account successfully within 10 banking days, we need the following
information from you;

Beneficiary full names.
Beneficiary address.
Private telephone & fax number.
Your bank particulars including your bank name, address and your account
number.

Contact me by return call/fax for any question and further discussion.

I await in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

DR.HECTOR KOMO.


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