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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: "paul rhodes" <rhodes@paulfarm.com>
Reply-To: paulrhodesfarms@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 23:10:29 +0000
Subject: FROM PAUL ??

FROM PAUL RHODES,
CHIPINGE FARMS, ZIMBABWE

Dear Partner,

Naturally, this letter will come to you as a surprise since
we have not met, permit me however to introduce myself; I am
Paul Rhodes, a white Zimbabwean Farmer, currently in hiding
in Zimbabwe. I used to work in three tobacco farms in
Chipinge, and I was also part owner of these farms which
were owned by my late father. I am contacting you as the
need to for me to have a foreign partner in your country
has become necessary due to my plans to relocate to that
country so that I can purchase some land and start farming
all over again, as the present political instability in
Zimbabwe, does not encourage inancial investment as the
environment is no longer conducive for farming investment
and most of all,security is not guaranteed, just as reported
by international media.

This problem started when the Zimbabwean government under
the leadership of President Robert Mugabe announced a decree
on May 31st 2000 to seize more than 849 white-owned farms.
During this period, as reported by international media and
the CNN, more than 6 white farmers(including my father) were
killed; the government is not stopping at this, as the
government has already asked all white-farmers to give up
their farms to black farmers or risk going to prison. So
far, more than 1,400 white owned farms have been invaded and
confiscated, as well as claiming the properties of the
farmers. Also, about 133 white farmers arrested for defying
the orders to leave their farms under the
controversial land reform program of the government. Having
lived in this country Zimbabwe for years, I have no other country to go to,
therefore, I decided to contact you, for your assistance,
so that I can divert my interest in Zimbabwe to a more stable country as
yours.

Also, I must re-iterate the importance of having a citizen
of your country to front for me, since i intend to purchase
some land for farming,I do not know much about your
land-ownership laws, I thought it wise to seek the help of a
foreigner to act as proxy for me. For this purpose, I have
put in a security deposit all monies from the sale of my
farming equipment(including tractors etc) and also all financial
profits. All these are a total of US$18.5million.

I will upon receiving your consent prepare every document to
enable you receive this money on my behalf, pending my
arrival to meet with you in your country so that we can both
make further arrangements with regards to the purchase of
land. For your assistance to me, you will be entitled to a
commission of 15% of the total sum that you will be
receiving on my behalf for the above purpose. If you are
interested and willing to assist me, you should please forward to me via my
confidential email address:paulrhodesfarms@yahoo.com,(TAKE NOTE OF THIS
PLEASE!!),

the following information so that I can reach you:
1. YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS
2. YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER,
I am waiting urgently for your response, while also requesting that
youtreat this matter in strict privacy.

Cheers and God bless.
I will give you more details when i hear from you. You can click on the
link below to get a better understanding my situation and why i need to
move out my money:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1068528.stm

Best Regards

PAUL RHODES{MR)



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