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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: "ZUMA ANTHONY" <zuma_anthony@msn.com>
Reply-To: zuma_anthony@zwallet.com
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 11:02:36 +0000
Subject: DID YOU RECEIVED MY MAIL?

ENGR.ZUMA ANTHONY,
DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS AND ENERGY,
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA.


Dear Friend,

It is my great pleasure in writing you this letter on behalf of my
colleagues to seek your assistance to enable us to own properties and
invest in the stable economy of your country. I apologize if this mail does
not suit your personal or business ethics.

I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation with you in the
execution of the deal in strict confidence. As senior civil servants
in the South Africa Government, the South African civil service laws
(Code of Conduct bureau) forbid us to own a foreign account. Within
the Department of Minerals an Energy where I work as a Director of
Audit and Project Implementation and with the co-operation of two
other top officials, we have in our possession as overdue payment in
US funds. The said funds represent certain percentage of the total
contract value executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign
contracting firm which we the officials over-invoiced to the amount of
US$14.500,000.00(Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand US
Dollars).Though the actual contract cost has been paid to the original
contractor, leaving the excess balance unclaimed.

Since the present elected Government is determined to pay foreign
contractors all debts owed so as to maintain good relationship with
foreign government and non-government agencies, we include our bills
for approvals with the Department of Finance and the Reserve Bank of
South Africa (RBSA).We are seeking your assistance to front as
beneficiary of the unclaimed funds, since we are not allowed to
operate foreign accounts. Details and change of beneficiary
information upon application for claim to reflect payment and
approvals will be secured on behalf of you/your company.

The business itself is 100% safe and secure, provided you treat it
with utmost confidentiality. It does not matter whether you/your
company does contract projects as a transfer of powers will be secured in
favour of you/your company. Also your area of specialization is not a
hindrance to the successful execution of this transaction. If you will like
to assist us as a partner, then indicate your interest. All other
information to facilitate the remittance of the funds will be revealed to
you in due course. For your assistance, your share as compensation will be
US$3.625m (25%),while my colleagues and I receive US$9.425m(65%) and the
balance of US$1.450m(10%) will be used to settle taxation and other
miscellaneous expenses in the course of transferring the funds to your
account.

Please indicate your direct telephone and direct fax number when
replying this business proposal so I could call you when necessary. If you
are not interested, kindly also indicate so that it will enable me to
contact other foreign partner with recommendations to carry out this deal.

for further details upon your acceptance of this proposal.
Thanks for your co-operation.
Regards,

ENGR.ZUMA ANTHONY.


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