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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • mafani_n@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Office Online" <officeonline2004@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2006 11:08:40 +0200
Subject: CAPITAL INVESTMENT

>From the Desk of: Engr. Ben Maluleke. B Sc (CTU) M. Sc,
Director, Project Implementation
CONFIDENTIAL TEL: 27- 83 - 3557121
CONFIDENTIAL FAX: 27-11 -5076933
EMAIL ADDRESS: mafani_n@yahoo.com.



PRIVATE
Dear SIR/MADAM,

I am Ben Maluleke, a Native of Cape Town in South Africa and I am an
Executive Accountant with the South Africa Department of Mining & Natural
Resources. First and foremost, I apologized using this medium to reach you
for a transaction/business of this magnitude, but this is due to
confidentiality and prompt access reposed on this medium.

Be informed that a member of the South Africa Export Promotion Council
(SAEPC) who was at the Government delegation to your country during a trade
exhibition gave your enviable credentials/particulars to me. I have decided
to seek a confidential co-operation with you in the execution of the deal
described hereunder for the benefit of all parties and hope you will keep it
as a top secret because of the nature of this transaction.

Within the Department of Mining & Natural Resources where I work as an
director and with the cooperation of four other top officials, we have in
our possession as overdue payment bills totaling Twenty-Seven Million,One
Hundred Thousand united states dollars (US$27,100,000.00) which we want to
transfer abroad with the assistance and co-operation of a foreign
company/individual to receive the said fund on our behalf into a reliable
company/individual account depending on your convenience.

More so, we are handicapped in the circumstances, as the South Africa Civil
Service Code of Conduct does not allow us to operate offshore account hence
your importance in the whole transaction. This amount (US$27.1m) represents
the balance of the total contract value executed on behalf of my Department
by a foreign contracting firm, which we the officials over-invoiced
deliberately. Though the actual contract cost have been paid to the original
contractor,leaving the balance in the tune of the said amount which we have
in principles gotten approval to remit by Key Tested Telegraphic Transfer
(K.T.T) to any foreign bank account you will provide by filing in an
application through the Justice Ministry here in South Africa for the
transfer of rights and privileges of the former contractor to you.

I have the authority of my partners involved to propose that should you be
willing to assist us in the transaction, your share of the sum will be 30%
of the US$27.1 million, 60% for us and 10% for taxation and miscellaneous
expenses. The business itself is 100% safe, on your part provided you treat
it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality. Also your area of specialization
is not a hindrance to the successful execution of this transaction.

I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint
me. Endeavor to contact me immediately through my secured tel number
27-83-3557121 and fax number 27-11-5076933, whether or not you
are interested in this deal. If you are not, it will enable me contact other
foreign partner with recommendation to carry out this deal. I want to assure
you that myself and my partners are in a position to make the payment of
this claim possible provided you can give us a very strong assurance and
guarantee that our share will be secured and Please remember to treat this
matter as very confidential matter because we will not comprehend with any
form of exposure as we are still in active Government Service and remember
once again that time is of the essence in this business.

Kindly establish your response directly by telephone,fax or EMAIL
:mafani_n@yahoo.com ,to the committee's representative whose name appears
below. We wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

Ben Maluleke (Engr)

DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS AND ENERGY
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam