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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: "PRINCESS GLADYS ZUMA" <princessgladyszuma2@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: princessgladyszuma2@freeghana.com
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 11:55:22 +0100
Subject: INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE AND REPLY US

ATTN
DAER FRIEND,
FIRST,I MUST SLOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN GENUINE APPROVAL CONSIDERING THE FACT WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER BEFORE.WE GOT YOUR CONTACT ADRESS THROUGH AN INTERNET DURING THE TIME WE ARE DOING RESARCH IN THE INTERNET THAT WE CAPTURE YOUR CONTACT AND WE DESIDED TO CONTACT YOU
MY NAME IS MISS.GLADYS ZUMA FROM DECMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO IN AFRICA.I WRITE TO INFORM YOU OF MY DESIRE TO INVEST AND TO BUY A LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY,I AM THE FIRST DAUGHTER OF LATE DR.PHILIP ZUMA,A FORMER MINISTRY OF DIAMONT AND GOLD MINING CMPANY CO-OPERATION IN MY COUNTRY CONGO.
MY FATHER WAS ATTACKED AND SHOT BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING TO (KANANGA) A CITY AFTER KINSHASHA OUR CAPITAL ALLONG WITH MY JUNIOR BROTHER KELVIN,WHILE U.N PEACE KEPING FORCE (U.N.P.K.F)RESCUED MY FATHER AND WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR A MDEDICAL CHECK UP WHICH HE LATER DIED FOUR MONTHS AGO.BUT BEFORE HE DIED,HE REVEALED TO ME ABOUT SOME BOX WHICH CONTAINS ABOUT$35.7 MILLION USD WHICH HE DEEPOSITED WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA FOR SAFE KEEPING.
MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSED THE CONTENT OF THE BOXES TO THE SECURITY COMPANY RATHER HE REGISTERRED IT AS JEWELERIES AND FAMILY BELONGINGS TO AVOID THE OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYEBROWS. PRESENTLY, I AND MY MOTHER TOGETHER WITH KELVIN ARE IN ACCRA GHANA TO NOTIFY THE SECURITY COMPANY FOR CLAIMS OF THE BOXES AND WE ARE STAYING IN A REFUGEE CAMP HERE IN GHANA .THEREFORE,WE WANT YOU TO ASSIST US INVEEST THIS MONEY ON A GOOD LUCRATIVE BUSINESS YOU MAY RECOMEND TO US AND ADVICE US HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY.I AND MY MOTHER HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT.WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS BACKING THIS MONEY DEPOSITED BY MY FATHER WHICH WE WOULD SEND TO YOU ON YOUR REQUEST.PLEASE DON'T FAIL TO INDICATEE YOUR PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR EASY CMMUNICATION.
THANKS
PRINCCCESS.GLADYS ZUMA



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