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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "huge amount of money" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "i got your address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +27739958141 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • joseph_pula@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:24:00 +0200
Subject: A CRY FOR URGENT HELP (please reply to: joseph_pula@yahoo.co.uk)


Mrs. Maryann Pula

Johannesburg Refugee Camp

Republic of South Africa

Telephone: +27 73 995 8141

*URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP*

Dear Sir/Madam,



My name is Mrs. Maryann Pula the wife of Late James Pula from the Republic
of Zimbabwe in Southern Africa. This might come as a surprise to you about
where I got your contact address, I got your address from the South African
Network Online {SANO} when I was desperately looking for a trust-worthy
person to assist my son who is currently residing as a refugee in the
Republic of South Africa but have not revealed the purpose of my enquiry to
anyone. During the current war against the Zimbabwean white farmers from the
supporters of Zimbabwean President Mr. Robert Mugabe to claim all the
white-owned farms to his party (ZANU-PF) members and his followers, he
ordered all the white farmers to surrender their farms to his party members.
My husband was one of the best black farmers in Zimbabwe and because he did
not support Mugabe's ideas, Mugabe's supporters invaded my husband's farms,
looted and burnt down everything in the farms, wounded and injured my
husband in the process. As a result of the wounds and injuries sustained, he
became sick and died after two weeks, since there was no good and proper
medical attention given to him.



But before he died he wrote his "WILL" which reads thus: "my beloved son, I
wish to draw your attention to the sum of *$25,000.000.00 (Twenty Five
Million United States Dollars*) which I deposited in a box with a Security
and Trust Company in Johannesburg - South Africa in case of my death. This
money was initially meant for the purchase of farm machineries for the
establishment of new farms in Swaziland. Please take good care of your
mother, the box can only be claimed by you with the Deposit Code, which your
mother will give to you". After his death, we hurriedly moved out of
Zimbabwe to the Republic of South Africa where the metal box was deposited
as Gemstone to avoid attracting much charge from the Security and Trust
Company. I will furnish you with their details when we have agreed to work
together.



Please the reason why I am contacting you is to assist my son to move this
money out of South Africa because the financial law of South Africa does not
allow Refugees certain financial rights to such huge amount of money. In
view of this, we cannot invest this money in South Africa, hence I'm asking
you to assist me get this money out of South Africa for investment purposes
in your country. My son and I have agreed to offer you *25% (US$6,250.000.00
(Six Million Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars)* of the
total sum for your assistance, *5% US$1,250.000.00 (One Million Two Hundred
and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars)* will be used to defray all
expenses you and I might incur during the course of this transaction while *70%
US$17, 500.000.00 (Seventeen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States
Dollars)* will be for my family investment I you country under your
supervision.



All I want you to do is to furnish me with your private telephone number,
fax numbers and email address for easy communications. Feel free to contact
my son (JOSEPH PULA) urgently on this private telephone number: +27 73 995
8141 or on this email address: *joseph_pula@yahoo.co.uk* which has been set
aside solemnly for this transaction. Please note: endeavor to call on phone
before you send your response to the email. For more information about this
problem in my country, please visit these websites: *
www.zimbabwesituation.com/index.html#down,www.zimbabwesituation.com/sep18_2005.html#link8
*



Remain blessed as we wait for your urgent telephone call immediately on the
receipt of this letter.



Best Regards,



*MRS. MARYANN PULA *

(For the Family)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam