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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: fdguie@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 16:35:06 +0200
Subject: Ferdinand.

FROM FERDINAND GUIE
TEL+ 27 73 234 1967
SIR,
THIS LETTER IS MEANT TO CONTACT YOU FOLLOWING KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR
SELF-ESTEEMED TO HELP US OUT OF THIS DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT MY FAMILY HAS
BEEN ENGULFED IN SINCE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER AND THE BREADWINNER OF OUR
FAMILY WHO WAS RECENTLY MURDERED IN THE LAND DISPUTE IN
ZIMBABWE.

SO PLEASE, CONSIDER THIS AS A REQUEST FROM A FAMILY IN DIRE NEED OF
ASSISTANCE.
I AM FROM ZIMBABWE, THE FIRST AND THE ONLY SON OF LATE DR. WILLIAM
GUIE, AND I AM COMMUNICATING TO YOU FROM JOHANNESBURG, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH
AFRICA. I, ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY DECIDED TO SOLICIT FOR
YOUR ASSISTANCE TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF US$20.5, MILLOIN (TWENTY MILLION
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) INHERITED FROM MY LATE
FATHER INTO YOUR COMPANY OR PRIVATE BANK ACCOUNT.

BEFORE HIS DEATH, MY FATHER ON ONE OF HIS MANY TRIPS ABROAD TOOK ME TO
JOHANNESBURG TO DEPOSIT THE SUM OF US$20.5 MILLION (TWENTY MILLION,
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) WITH A PRIVATE SECURITY
COMPANY AS IF HE FORESAW THE LOOMING DANGER IN ZIMBABWE.

THE MONEY WAS DEPOSITED WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY ON OUR ARRIVAL IN
JOHANNESBURG LARGELY FOR ITS SAFETY.

THE SOURCE OF THIS MONEY WAS FOR PURCHASE OF AGRO ALLIED FARM EQUIPMENT
FOR THE GOVERNMENT. THIS LAND PROBLEM AROSE WHEN PRESIDENT MUGABE WHO
ACCORDING TO MY LATE FATHER, IN A DESPERATE BID TO HOLD ON TO POWER FOR
LIFE INTRODUCED A NEW LAND ACT, WHICH WHOLLY AFFECTED THE RICH FARMERS
WHO WERE MOSTLY WHITE AND SOME BLACKS VEHEMENTLY CONDEMNED THE METHOD
ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THAT RESULTED IN RAMPANT KILLINGS,
LOOTING AND WIDE SCALE MOB ACTIONS BY THE VETERANS AND SOME POLITICAL
THUGS.

UNFORTUNATELY, MY LATE FATHER WAS AMONGST THE FEW BLACK ZIMBABWEAN RICH
FARMERS MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD BY THE AGENTS OF THE RULING GOVERNMENT
OF PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE, FOR HIS ALLEGED OPPOSITION AGAINST THE
GOVERNMENT'S NEW LAND ACT. HEADS OF GOVERNMENT FROM THE WESTERN WORLD,
ESPECIALLY BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE VOICED THEIR
CONDEMNATION AGAINST MUGABE'S ACTIONS.

AS IT STANDS NOW, I AM THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS ACCESS TO THE MONEY AND
THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR ITS COLLECTION FROM THE ABOVE, YOU
WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THE LIVES AND FUTURE OF MY FAMILY DEPEND ON THIS
FUND AS SUCH I WILL BE GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN ASSIST US.

WE ARE NOW LIVING IN SOUTH AFRICAN AS POLITICAL ASYLUM SEEKERS AND THE
FINANCIAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF SOUTH AFRICA DO NOT PERMIT US CERTAIN
FINANCIAL RIGHTS.
IN VIEW OF THIS, I CANNOT INVEST THIS MONEY IN SOUTH AFRICA HENCE MY
ASKING YOU TO ASSIST ME TO TRANSFER IT OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA FOR INVESTMENT
PURPOSES IN YOUR COUNTRY.

FOR YOUR EFFORTS, WE ARE PREPARED TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL SUM
WHILE 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURRED DURING THE COURSE OF
THIS TRANSACTION AND THE REMAINING 70% FOR THE FAMILY'S INVESTMENT ABROAD.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS RISK-FREE AND THE MAJOR THING I
ASK OF YOU IS TO ASSURE ME THE SAFETY OF THE MONEY WHEN TRANSFERRED
INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND ARRANGEMENT WILL COMMENCE AS SOON AS TRUST,
CONFIDENCE AND GOOD RELATIONSHIP IS ESTABLISHED. I SHALL BE MOST GRATEFUL
IF YOU MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THIS MATTER.
THANK YOU AS I AWAIT FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONSE VIA THE TELEPHONE NUMBER
OR E-MAIL ADDRESS (fdguie@hotmail.com ) FOR MORE DETAILS AND
DON'T FORGET TO KEEP EVERY INFORMATION REGARDING THIS AS HIGHLY
CONFIDENTIAL AS POSSIBLE.

BEST REGARDS,

MR. Ferdinand Guie

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