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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: "William Gezi" <williamgezi_400@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 13:10:47 +0200
Subject: HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL

MR.WILLIAM GEZI.
TEL:27-73 318 1653

HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL

Dear Sir/Madam,

YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO RECEIVE THIS LETHER FROM ME SINCE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME
PERSONALLY, THE PURPOSE OF MY INTRODUCTION IS THAT I AM MR.WILLIAM GEZI. THE
FIRST SON OF MR. JAMES GEZI WHO WAS RECENTLY MUDERED IN A LAND DISPUTE IN
ZIMBABWE. I WAS FURNISHED WHITH VIABLE INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
TRADE CENTRE HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA AND IN SUPPORT WITH THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE OF THE SAME SOUTH AFRICA (JHB) HENCE I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU.

BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER, HE HAD TAKEN ME TO JOHANNESBURG TO DEPOSIT
THE SUM OF US$20.5MILLION( TWENTY MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATES DOLLARS ) IN ONE OF THE SECURITY COMPANIES, AS IF HE FORESAW THE
LOOMING DANGER IN ZIMBABWE. THE MONEY WAS DEPOSITED IN A BOX AS GEM STONE TO
AVOID MUCH DEMURRAGE FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY. THIS MONEY WAS FOR THE
PURCHASE OF NEW MACHINES FOR THE FARMS AND ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW FARM IN
SWITZERLAND.

THIS LAND PROBLEM CAME WHEN THE PRESIDENT OF ZIMBABWE MR. ROBERT MUGABE
INTRODUCED A NEW LAND ACT, WHICH WHOLLY AFFECTED THE RICH WHITE FARMERS AND
SOME FEW BLACK FARMERS. THIS RESULTED IN THE KILLING AND MOB ACTIONS BY THE
ZIMBABWE WAR VETERANS AND A SOME LUNATICS IN THE SOCIETY.IN FACT, A LOT OF
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS LAND REFORM ACT OF WHICH MY FATHER
WAS ONE OF THE VICTIMS.

IT IS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT MY FAMILY AND I CURRENTLY STAYING IN
SOUTH AFRICA DECIDED TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO A FOREING ACCOUNT SINCE THE
LAW OF SOUTH AFRICA PROHIBITS A REFUGEE (ASSYLUM SEEKER) TO OPEN ANY BANK
ACCOUNT OR TO BE INVOLVED IN ANY FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THROUGHOUT THE
TERRITORIAL ZONE OF SOUTH AFRICA. AS THE ELDEST SON, I AM SADDLED WITH THE
RESPONSBILITY OF SEEKING A GENIUNE FOREIGN ACCOUNT
INTO WHICH THIS MONEY COULD BE TRANSFERED WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF MY
GOVERNMENT WHO ARE BENT ON TAKING EVERYTHING WE HAVE GOT, AND THE SOUTH
AFRICAN GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO BE PLAYING ALONG WITH THEM .I AM FACED WITH THE
DILEMA OF INVETING THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR FEAR OF GOING
THROUGH THE SAME POLITICAL HISTORY. MOREOVER, THE SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN
EXCHANGE POLICY DOES NOT ALLOW INVESTMENT AS AN ASSYLUM SEEKER.

AS A BUSINESS SOMEONE, WHO I HAVE TO ENTRUST MY FUTURE AND THAT OF MY FAMILY
IN HIS HANDS, I MUST LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS RISK FREE. IF YOU
ACCEPT TO ASSIST ME AND MY FAMILY, ALL I WANT YOU TO DO IS TO CONTACT ME IN
THIS MAIL ADDRESS IN OTHER TO INFORM YOU MORE DETAIL ABAUT HOW I WANT THIS
MONEY TO BE TRANSFER AND I WILL LIKE TO KNOW WHO I AM DEALING WITH.

ACTUALY I WILL HAPPY IF YOU CAN COME DOWN HERE IN JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA,
SO THAT YOU CAN OPEN A NON-RESIDENT ACCOUNT WHICH WILL AID US IN TRANSFERING
THE MONEY INTO ANY ACCOUNT YOU WILL NOMINATE OVERSEAS.BUT NOT NOW BECAUSE I
WILL LIKELY TO SEE
SOMETHING THAT CAN CONVICE ME THAT YOU ARE CAPEBLE IN THIS TRANSACTION,DUE
TO THIS MONEY I INTEND TO USE FOR INVESTMENT.

I HAVE TWO OPTIONS FOR YOU, FIRSTLY YOU CAN CHOOSE TO HAVE A CERTAIN
PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY FOR NOMINATING YOUR ACCOUNMT FOR THIS TRANSACTION,
OR GO INTOPARTNERSHIP WITH ME.I HAVE MAPPED OUT 5% OF THIS MONEY FOR
EXPENSES AND 15% OF THE MONEY FOR YOU,SO THAT 80% WILL BE FOR MY FARMILY
INVESTMENT. ALSO GIVE ME A CALL IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL.

THANKS WAITING TO HERE FROM YOU SOON.

BEST REGARD,

MR.WILLIAM GEZI.

FOR THE FAMILY.

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