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

Fraud email example:

From: ALBERT KWENME <albertkw60@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2006 15:51:57 +0400
Subject: PLEASE CAN WE WORK IT OUT?


Dear Friend,
It will be surprising to read from me since we have not met in any way or anywhere. It is just that I am seeking for a competent person who could work with me in attaining my goal.
My name is Albert Kwenme, 26 yrs old from Zimbabwe. I got your email contact from my search through internet on the chamber of commerce. I come across your email address and decided to write you to see if we would try and get to know each other in order to work together in helping ourselves.
I was a school boy (student) when Mr. Maverick (an Australian man) was the GM in my father's farm. But on my father's death, Mr. Maverick drew up documents with the claiming of the farm machinery/land and assets as his own.
Although, I now work for him as the supervisor but it is on a bitter mind because I know what we went through when my mother was trying to recover the farm and other things he claimed.
Now, my mother handed me over a document which shows that my father had a deposit in my name as the next of kin. We have visited the security company in South Africa and was assured that it would be released to me whenever I am ready to lift or transfer it. It requires a foreigner who could stand for me as the beneficiary for the fund to be lifted from here because the fund was deposited as a fund to be used to purchase and import farm machinery.
It is in regard to the above that I summoned courage to write you to see if we can work it out to be lifted to your location while we meet one on one at once.
I am ready to offer 20% of the total USD8,400,000.00 to you if you assist me in seeing this work out successfully. I can also invest my part of the fund in your location if you so wish and with your guidance, you would earn from the proceeds also if the company is established.
We shall deliberate more when you respond to me soonest.You can equally write through my private email: (albertkw@codehot.co.uk)
Thanks and may God bless you.
Mr. Albert Kwenme.

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