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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.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: alex_yob03@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 15:45:01 +0200
Subject: Fruitful Transaction

Alexandra Yobo jr
123 Kingfisher Drive
Randburg Johannesburg
South Africa
Email:alex_yobo@hotmail.com

ATTN:

STRICTLY PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL


Hearts filled with emotion and pains, and with utmost sincererity and honesty, we the family of Late Alexandra Yobo decided to contact you, and believe you can be of great assistance to us at this time of tribulations. I am Alexandra Yobo Jr, the first son of Alexandra yobo farmer and leader movement for democratic change (Mdc) in Zimbabwe who was murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe.


Before the death of my father, he had taken me to Johannesburg to deposit the sum of Usd$22.5M(Twenty Five Million Five Hundred Thousand 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, a lot of 45 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 seeking asylum in South Africa decided to transfer my father's money to foreign account since the laws of South Africa prohibit 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. Thus, as a foreigner, whom I want to entrust my future and that of my family in your hands, I must let you know that this transaction is risk free.


This money I intend to use for investment. I have two options for you, firstly, you can go into partnership with me for the proper profitable investment of the money in your country or take 20% of the total sum for nominating your account for this transaction, for I am in real need for genuine assistance. Whichever the option you want, feel free to notify me as I have also mapped out 5% of this money for all kinds of expenses incurred in the process of this transaction. While the remaining 75% will be for my investment in your country or joint investment as the case maybe.


Contact me with my alternate email address while I implore you to maintain the absolute confidentiality required in this transaction, because, with the recent elections held, and the ball still in the governments court, I now have no other choice than to seek urgent means of investing what is only left of us after the death of my dear father. I pray God to guard my life and that of my whole family as we await your reply.

Alexandra Yobo Jr
For The Family


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