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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)
  • "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.
  • fortunemegabe@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "fortune megabe" <fortunemegabe5@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2006 14:58:44 +0000
Subject: I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE.

EMAIL:fortunemegabe@yahoo.com

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mr.Fortune Megabe, a native of Cape Town in South Africa and I am a
Director of Project Implementation with the South Africa Department of
Mining & Natural Resources. I am presently in Brussels -Belgium. First and
foremost, I apologize 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 (SEPC) 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 a
Director and with the cooperation of four other top officials, we have in
our possession as overdue payment bills totaling Fourteen Million, Two
Hundred Thousand U. S. Dollars ($14,200,000.) which we want to transfer
abroad with the assistance and cooperation of a foreign company/individual
to receive the said fund on our behalf or a reliable foreign non-company
account to receive such funds. 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 $14.2m 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 $14.2 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 personal Email written above
including your personal telephone number whether or not you are interested
in this deal. If you are not, it will enable me scout for another foreign
partner to carry out this deal I want to assure you that my partners and
myself 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.
I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.
Yours faithfully,
FORTUNE

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam