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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: "Shaik mamoepa" <shaikmamoepa61@msn.com>
Reply-To: mrsshaik61@myway.com
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 07:44:47 +0000
Subject: CAN I CONFIDE IN YOU?

Mrs Shaik Mamoepa

Dear Sir/Madam
                               CONFIDENTIAL

I presume this letter will come to you as a surprise but as things unfold, we will know each other better and how I got your contact. I would start by introducing myself to you. I am Mrs Mamoepa Shaik, the wife of Mr Schabir Shaik , the Former Finance Adviser to the Ex-deputy President Mr JacobZuma. I am very sure that you will be of a good assistance after carefully reading my letter.

In short to be sincere and honest with you, the present situation of things now in my home looks sad following the investigations of the Judge of the Durban High Court on my husband and Mr Jacob Zuma, the Ex-deputy President. I am under threat and fear daily by the Security operatives trying to find more about my husband’s financial involvement, to support the allegation of corruption in connection with Mr Jacob Zuma as his has been established and sentence passed upon.
I want to use this opportunity to move the sum of US$10.5 Million (TEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) into your custody for safe keeping, since my husband, Mr Schabir Shaik is in prison and the government is still investigating the Corruption Relationshipallegation levelled against him and his Boss, Ex-Deputy President Mr Jacob Zuma, in relation to a French Arms Manufacturer in order to establish a convenient legal case in the next court hearing on 11th of March 2006.

Be informed that this said amount was given to my husband as gratification from some Foreign Minerals and Energy Companies he helped in securing Allocation for the Drilling of Solid Minerals In South Africa. As a Civil Servant, he does not want to be exposed as if he knew what was about to happen. Therefore he gave me this money to deposit in a Bank in United Kingdom, so that he can exonerate himself from the eyes of the Government security operatives and Transparency International, the body that scrutinizes the activities of all civil servants in South Africa as checks and balances against official misconduct.

Hence the source of this said money is clean and clear. This money is in a UK bank, and my intention to transfer the money out is to avoid more problems for my husband and his reputation was more important than anything else in the whole world. All I need now is for you to send me your contact address; telephone, fax number and any bank account of your choice, to enable me instruct the bank to transfer the money to your bank account. As soon as the money hits your bank account, I shall fly to meet with you in your country, for sharing of the money and for you to help us invest our own share in your country. Your share for your assistance would be 20% of the total funds; we take 75% and 5% is set aside to settle expenses incurred by both of us.

My husband will be happy to hear that you helped to free thepolitical carrier of Mr Jacob Zuma as a Zulu, if the Government Security Operatives find out that my husband, Mr Schabir Shaik, has such money while still under Mr Jacob Zuma as Finance Adviser, it will jeopardise the political carrier of Mr Jacob Zuma and he stands to loose his political support base. So, as you receive this mail and you feel that you can not help, please do keep it to yourself. For it took the Zulus long years of protest before we got where we are today. So, on receiving your response and your willingness to help as regards to this, I will furnish you on the next line of action to take immediately.

Thanks and God bless your family.

Yours Sincerely,
Mrs Shaik Mamoepa
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