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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: ayc_masinga@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2005 21:37:01 +0200
Subject: HELLO!

MR.JAMES MASINGA.
DIRECTOR, BILLS AND EXCHANGE,
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT.
ABSA BANK LTD.
SOUTH AFRICA.
TEL:+27835881677




DEAR SIR/MA,


I am MR.James Masinga, The Director of bills/exchange at the foreign Remittance department of ABSA Bank Limited, South Africa. I have decided to contact you through this medium based on a business proposal, which will be of mutual benefit to both of us. However be Informed that I discovered your company/person through your country's Directory. here in South Africa when I was searching for a foreign business partner whom I will transfer this fund in his personal or company’s account, that is why i am contacting you.

During a usual bank auditing, we discovered an abandoned sum of US$ 29,000 000:00 (TWENTY NINE MILLION US DOLLARS ONLY) in an account that belong to one of our foreign customers (MR ANDREAS GREG) who died along with his entire family in a ghastly car accident. Since we got the information about his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to come over and claim his money, because we can not release it unless some body apply for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.


Unfortunately, no body has come forward to claim this money. It is based on this that some officials in my department and I have decided to establish a cordial business relationship with you, hence my contacting You. If you indicate interest in this affairs, our Attorney shall prepare some documents, which we shall Send to you and your name shall be incorporated as a Beneficiary of this fund (NEXT OF KIN OF MR ANDREAS GREG) The information shall be backdated and put in MR ANDREAS GREG'S FILE.

As soon as I get your response to this massage, I will send you the bank transfer from which you will fill and fax it back to us to enable us submit it to the bank fo transfer approval. I will also consult a lawyer who will represent you in all legal procedures and sign the necessary documents before the transfer will commenced. Then again, we do not want the money to go into the Government account as unclaimed bill.
The banking law and guidelines here stipulates that any account Abandoned or dormant for a period of years is deemed Closed and all money contained therein would be Forfeited to the government treasury account.

Now it is being speculated that the above sum will be Transferred into the government account as an Unclaimed fund on . The mode of sharing after the transfer of the money into your nominated account will be:70% for me And my colleagues and 25% will be given to you for the Role you will be expected to play in the whole Exercise, and 5% will be mapped out for expenses both of us.will incure in this transfer if this proposal matches with your inward intension for success and greatness, then you are urged to make a quick response indicating your readiness and Interest to participate in the business.

I expect your Urgent response through this e-mail address or please send me your private telephone and fax numbers to enable us Conclude this transaction soon enough. Please treat this business proposal As strictly Confidential for our mutual long-term benefit. Hoping to hear from you very Soon.

Best Regards,

James Masinga.



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