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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: "JAMES MICHAEL" <jamesmichae_7@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2007 12:57:18 +0100
Subject: FAMILY ASSISTANCE NEEDED

FROM PRINCE james michael
JOHENESBURG SOUTH AFRICA
TEL+273 022 4759
 
     DEAR:

YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO RECEIVE THIS LETTER FROM
ME SINCE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME PERSONALLY. I AM PRINCE
james michael THE FIRST SON OF CHIEF DAN michael  WHO
WAS RECENTLY MURDERED IN THE COURSE OF THE LAND
DISPUTE IN ZIMBABWE.I GOT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION
THROUGH SOUTH AFRICAN INTERNET ONLINE  IN JOHANNESBURG
HENCE I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU.

BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER, HE HAD TAKEN ME TO
JOHANNESBURG TO DEPOSIT THE SUM OF TEN MILLION
DOLLARS (US$10,000,000.00) IN A PRIVATE SECURITY
COMPANY HERE IN JOHANNSEBURG, AS IF HE FORESAW THE
LOOMING DANGER IN ZIMBABWE. THIS MONEY WAS DEPOSITED
AS GEM STONES TO AVOID MUCH TAX FROM THE SECURITY
COMPANY. THIS MONEY WAS MEANT FOR THE PURCHASE OF NEW
MACHINERY, EQUIMENTS AND CHEMICALS FOR THE FARMS AND
ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW FARM IN RELATIVELY
POLITICAL/ECONOMICALLY STABLE SWAZILAND.

THIS LAND PROBLEM STARTED WHEN ZIMBABWEAN
PRESIDENT,MR. ROBERT MUGABE INTRODUCED A NEW LAND
REFORM ACT WHICH WHOLLY AFFECTED THE RICH WHITE
FARMERS AND SOME FEW RICH BLACK FARMERS. IN FACT A LOT
OF PEOPLE WERE KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS LAND REFORM OF
WHICH MY LOVELY FATHER WAS ONE OF THE VICTIMS. IT IS
ON THIS BACKGROUND THAT I AND MY FAMILY WHO ARE
CURRENTLY RESIDING IN SOUTH AFRICA AS POLITICAL ASYLUM
SEEKERS DECIDED TO TRANSFER MY FATHER’S MONEY TO A
FOREIGN COUNTRY SINCE THE LAW OF SOUTH AFRICA
PROHIBITS REFUGEES/ ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM OPERATING A
BANK ACCOUNT OR GETTING INVOLVED IN HUGE FINANCIAL
TRANSACTIONS.

AS THE ELDEST SON OF MY FATHER, I AM SADDLED WITH THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF SEEKING A GENIUNE FOREIGN ACCOUNT
WHERE THIS MONEY COULD BE TRANSFERRED INTO WITHOUT THE
KNOWLEDGE OF MY GOVERNMENT WHO IS BENT ON TAKING
EVERYTHING.

ALL I SEEK FOR IS AN HONEST PERSON,WHOM I CAN
TRUST FOR MY FUTURE AND THAT OF MY FAMILY. THIS
TRNSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE. IF YOU ACCEPT TO ASSIST
ME AND MY FAMILY, ALL I WANT FROM YOU IS FOR YOU TO
MAKE ARRANGMENT AND COME TO SOUTH AFRICA, SO THAT YOU
CAN HELP ME OPEN A NON-RESIDENT ACCOUNT IN YOUR NAME
WHICH WILL AID US IN TRANSFERRING THE MONEY TO ANY
ACCOUNT YOU WILL NOMINATE OVERSEAS.

I INTEND TO USE THIS MONEY FOR INVESTMENT IN YOUR
COUNTRY. I HAVE TWOOPTIONS FOR YOU, FIRSTLY YOU CAN
CHOOSE TO HAVE CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY FOR
YOUR ASSISTANCE AND ALSO  FOR NOMINATING YOUR ACCOUNT
IN THIS TRANSACTION, OR YOU CAN GO INTO PARTNERSHIP
WITH ME FOR THE PROPER PROFITABLE INVESTMENT  OF THE
MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY. WHICH EVER OPTION YOU WANT,
FEEL FREE TO NOTIFY ME.

I HAVE ALSO MAPPED OUT 10% OF THIS MONEY FOR ANY
EXPENSES THAT WE MIGHT INCURE IN THE PROCESS OF THIS
TRANSACTION. IF YOU DO NOT PREFER A PARTNERSHIP I AM
WILLING TO GIVE YOU 20% OF THE MONEY WHILE THE
REMAINING 70% WILL REMAIN FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. IF YOU
ARE REALLY CAPABLE AND WILLING TO ASSIST ME, PLEASE
CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY WITH THE ABOVE TELEPHONE
NUMBERS OR THROUGH THIS MY EMAIL: jamesmichael2001za@yahoo.com
 
PLEASE KEEP THIS MESSAGE VERY CONFIDENTIAL.
FINALLY,PLEASE TREAT THIS MATTER AS URGENT AS
POSSIBLE, I AM DESPERATE TO LEAVE THIS COUNTRY
SOONEST.

I EXPECT YOUR RESPONSE SOONEST.

THANKS  AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

YOURS
PRINCE james michael
AND FAMILY


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