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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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:

• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "markus" <markuswolf222@operamail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: markuswolf@operamail
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:33:26 +0200
Subject: URGENT

Sir,
My name is Mr.Markus Wolf , a divorcee. I am a Zimbabwean of German ancestry. I was born in Zimbabwe and have been successfully involved in large scale mechanised farming.
About four years ago, the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, ordered us, white farmers, to leave the country. We thought it was an empty threat and harassment, though we made several reports and representations to International organisations such as the Commonwealth, NATO, EU and United Nations.
In 2002, he carried out his threat by forcefully ejecting us and seizing our farmlands using war veterans, police and local mercenaries. All pleas by ourselves and international organisations to the President to reconsider his stance fell on deaf ears.
Most of the white farmers had to leave the country in tears. I had to wisely withdraw all my savings from five banks here fearing they may soon start freezing our bank accounts. True to my fear, that is exectly what they are doing right now.
Thank God, I have wisely despatched my hard earned savings of USD28,750,000.00( Twenty-Eight Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand US Dollars) to an European country and it is now in the custody of a finance company.
I believe that you are capable and can assist me receive this money so that I can come over to your country and invest it there. I am ready to give you 20% of the total sum for offering me this service, hoping also you will assist me invest mine.
Now, all I am asking from you is to indicate your interest and readiness to receive this money on my behalf as quickly as possible through email.
Presently,the Government of one West African country will be coming to Zimbabwe to airlift some of us,including me,to her land tomorrow.The authorities have promised to give us land,rehabilitate and give us a better farming condition.For now, email is my only means of communication.But if we get ressettled in the new country,I can be sure to be using both email and telephone as means of communication.

My immediate concern is how you can receive this hard-earned money which is now in Europe and assist invest same in your country after appreciating you accordingly. I am afraid of investing that money in Africa.No, not me again!
Do indicate your interest to receive this money on my behalf so I can facilitate the process immediately.
Regards,
Markus Wolf.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam