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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: vugmgwala@webmail.co.za
Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2005 16:02:01 +0200
Subject: MY FAMILY NEED YOUR HELP.

FROM:VUYO GWALA
TEL: 27-73349-1086
FAX: 27-73403-6291


DEAR SIR,
STRICTLY PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL
You may be surprised to recieve this letter from me, since
you don't know me personally.Thus, I have to introduce
myself.I am MR.Vuyo Gwala ,the first son of Late MR.Tijani
gwala a farmer and leader movement for democratic
change[MDC] in Zimbabwe until recently, he was murdered in
the land dispute in Zimbabwe.
I was furnished with viable information from the
International Trade Centre here in Johannesburg and I
decided to write to you. Before the death of my father, he
had taken me to Johannesburg to deposit the sum of
USD$15,000,000(FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS),in a
Security Company, as if he foresaw the looming danger in
Zimbabwe. This amount was meant for the purchase of new
machines and chemicals for the farms and the establishment
of the new farms in Swaziland. This land problem came when
Zimbabwean President MR.ROBERT MUGABE introduced a new Land
Act which wholly affected the rich white farmers and some
few black farmers. This resulted to the killing and mob
action by Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the
society.
Infact, alot of people have been killed because of this
land reformed Act for which my father was one of the
victims. It is against this background, that I and my
family who are currently staying in South Africa decided to
transfer my father's money to foreign account since the law
of South Africa prohibits a refugee (asylum seeker) to open
any bank account or to be involved in any financial
transaction.
As the eldest son of my father, I am saddled with the
responsibility of seeking a genuine foreign account where
this money could be transferred without the knowledge of my
government who are bent on taking everything we have got. I
am faced with the dilemma of investing this amount of money
in South Africa for fear of going through the same
experience in future since both countries have similar
political history. Moreover,the South African Foreign
Exchange policy does not allow such investment as an asylum
seeker. As a businessman, whom I have entrusted my future
and 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 need you to do for me is to make arrangement
and come to Johannesburg -South Africa so that you can open
a non-resident account which will aid us in transferring
the money into any account you will nominate overseas.
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 account for
this transaction. Or you can go into partnership with me
for the proper profitable investment of the money in your
country. Which ever the option you want,feel free to notify
me as I have also mapped out5% of this money for all kinds
of expences incurred in the proccess of this transaction.If
you do not prefer a partnership I am willing to give you
20% of the money while the remaining 75% will be for my
investment in your country.
Contact me with the above telephone number while I implore
you to maintain the absolute secrecy required in this
transaction. And no matter the level of transaction we are,
you must call me on phone first before sending a
reply.Please, You should keep this transaction secret and
confidential.

Best regards and God bless
Mr Vuyo Gwala
(For the family)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam