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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: "JOSEPH SMITH" <glendoven_farms1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: smith@shearer.com
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 22:25:25 -0700
Subject: my story

FROM JOSEPH SMITH
GLENDOVEN FARMS, ZIMBABWE
EMAIL: smith@shearer.com
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 Joseph Smith, 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
financial 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:
smith@shearer.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,
3. VALID ID OF YOURSELF,

I am waiting urgently for your response, while also
requesting that you treat 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


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