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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: Sylvester Kumalo <sylvesterkm42@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <sylvesterkumalo01@excite.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:16:39 -0400
Subject: PLEASE, YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED



Dear Friend,
Compliment of the season, my names are Sylvester Kumalo the only survival son of Chief Godwin Kumalo, from Zimbabwe. Presently, I am residing in the refugee camp in Accra Ghana. During the civil war in my country Robert Mugabe and his supporters claim all the big investments owned by the white people in the country, companies and farms for his party members
My father was one of the biggest farmer and gold and diamond merchant in our country then, because my father strongly opposed his administration his supporters invaded my father’s farm and burnt everything in the farm, killing my father and made away with allots of machineries in my fathers farm.
Before my father’s death, he deposited US$15 Million Dollars in a Security Company in Ghana, West Africa. This was money he planed to buy new equipments in a new farm he wants to set up in Brazil. After the death of my father, I decided to escape to GHANA been one of the nearest African countries to ours because of constant arrestment from Robert Mugabe’s troops. Before my fathers death he left a standing order in the Security Company that the money should be release to me if only I produce a foreign partner that will help me to manage the money. That is why I have decided to contact a reputable individual like you that will assist me in transferring the money out of Ghana and invest in a lucrative business that is profitable. Your role in this transaction will be 25%, why, 5% for expenses that may occur in the cost of transaction and 70% will be used for investment (BUSINESS) in your country.
All I need you to do is to act as the sole beneficiary to the fund and assist in claiming the fund from the security company as soon as possible.
I will be very glad if you claim the money and transfer it to your country as permanent resident.
Note that this transaction is 100% risk free so you should however threat this business with absolute confident and always maintain a high level of confidentiality.
All relevant documents to the claims of the fund are with me as the next of kin. I shall inform you with the next line of action as soon as I receive your positive response. Please kindly reply me with your full names, direct fax number and personal phone number to enhance the confidentiality of this transaction. Please reply me as soon as possible.

SIGN,
SYLVESTER KUMALO, for the family.





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