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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: easter private <easterprivate78@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:01:26 +0200
Subject: BUSINESS ASSISTANCE URGENT FAMILY



FROM: Mrs. Easter Khumalo. JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA E-mail:easterprivate3@hotmail.co.uk Tel:27-83-9931-322 DEAR Sir/Madam BUSINESS ASSISTANCE URGENT FAMILY My name is Mrs. Easter Khumalo, the wife of MR.Dave Khumalo. from Zimbabwe. This might be a surprise to you about where I got your contact address. I got your address from the South African Information center.ALTHOUGH,IT IS NO LONGER NEWS,THE WORLD KNOWS THE WAY ALL THE WHITE FARMERS IN ZIMBABWE ARE BEING BRUTALLY MALTREATED BY OUR PRESIDENT, THREATINING THEM TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. During the current war against the farmers in Zimbabwe from the supports of our President Robert Mugabe to claim all the white-owned farms to his party members and his followers, he ordered all white farmer's to surrender all their farms to his party members and his followers.My husband is one of the best farmers in our country and because he did not support Mugabe's ideas, Mugabe's supporters invaded my husband farm and burnt everything in the farm, killing my husband and made away with a lot of items in my husband's farm.Before his death, my husband had deposited with one of the Security . Companies in Johannesburg, South Africa the sum of US$25, Million United States Dollars). After the death of my husband, we escaped to the Republic of South Africa where he had deposited the money in the Security Company as valuables.Because of our status as asylum seekers we are not allowed to operate any bank account within South Africa or clear this consignment from the security company. So I decided to contact overseas firms and companies that will assist me to move this fund out of South Africa for our mutual benefit. Your assistance as a foreign partner is highly needed because the security company is ready to welcome anybody with the correct imformation and documents covering this fund which I will give you if you agree to assist me and my family.We have agreed to offer you 25% of the total sum for your assistance, 5% will be mapped out for any expenses that may be incurred in the course of this transaction and 70% will be for me and my family to invest in your country.Now, all I want you to do is to furnish me with your full addresses, your country of origin, your personal phone and fax numbers,for further details regarding this transaction. You can contact me or my son on the above email address or phone number+27-83-9931-322 his name is Mr Frank Khumalo. Note: that this transaction is 100% risk free and absolutely confidential. Finaly, please do not hesitate to indicate your interest and your willinness so that I will not make further contacts regarding this transfer. Thanks and God bless. With Lots Of Regards, Mrs.Easter Khumalo. (For the family)
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