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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: "Dr. Thabo Ngema" <drtngema_adb02@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 15:57:54 +0200
Subject: TRANSFER From Dr.Thabo Ngema


FROM:DR.T.NGEMA
TEL: +27-83 729 9067
Fax:0027-76 106 4463 Ext/4473
Email:drngema-adb@consultant.com.
ATTENTION: DIRECTOR / CEO



Dear Sir,


I know that this message will come to you as a surprise since we don?t know
each other before, but for purpose of introduction, I am DR. THABO NGEMA,
the Chief auditor of AFRICAN VELOPMENT BANK (ADB). There is an account
opened in this bank in 1980 and since 1990 nobody has operated on this
account again. After going through some old files in the records, I
discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently it would be
forfeited for nothing.

The owner of this account is Mr. Smith B. Andreas, a foreigner, and a miner
at Kruger gold co., a geologist by profession and he died since 1990. No
other person knows about this account or any concerning it, the account has
no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that his
company does not know anything about this account and the amount involved is
(USD 33.86M) Thirty three million eight hundred and sixty thousand United
States Dollars.

I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be
approved to a local bank here, but can only be approved to any foreign
account because the money is in us dollars and the former owner of the
account is Mr. Smith B. Andreas is a foreigner too. I know that this message
will come to you as a surprise as we don't know ourselves before. We will
sign an agreement, but be sure that it is real and a genuine business.
Please reply urgently so that I will inform you the next step to take
immediately. Send also your private telephone and fax number including the
full details of the account to be used for the deposit. I want us to meet
face to face or sign a binding agreement to bind us together so that you can
receive this money into a foreign account or any account of our choice where
the fund will be safe. And I will fly to your country for withdrawal and
sharing and other investments.

I am contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with foreign
account and foreign beneficiary. I need your full co-operation to make this
work fine because the management is ready to approve this payment to any
foreigner, who has correct information of this account which I will give to
you later, if you are willing and capable to handle such amount in strict
confidence and trust according to my instructions and advice for our mutual
benefit because this opportunity will never come again in my life. I need
truthful person in this business because I don't want to make mistake I need
your strong assurance and trust.

With my position now in the office I can transfer this money to any
foreigner's reliable account, which you can provide with assurance that this
money will be intact pending my physical arrival in your country for
sharing. I will destroy all documents of transaction immediately we receive
this money leaving no trace to any place. You can also come to discuss with
me face to face after which Iwill make this remittance in your presence and
two of us will fly to your country at least two days ahead of the money
going into the account.

I will apply for annual leave to get visa immediately I hear from you that
you are ready to act and receive this fund in your account. I will use my
position and influence to effect legal approvals and onward transfer of this
money to your account with appropriate clearance forms of the ministries and
foreign exchange departments. At the conclusion of this business, you will
be given 20% of the total amount, 75% will be for me for investment in your
coutry which you will equally guide me, and while 5% will be for expenses
both parties might have incurred during the process of transferring.

I look forward to your earliest reply through my telephone
and fax numbers above.

Yours truly,
Dr.T. NGEMA


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