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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: "SIPHO" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <siphvila002@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:59:27 +0200
Subject: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST.

Dear Friend,

Firstly I want to thank you very much for the time you are able to spend to read this message, as a matter of fact, I have to assure you that this transaction that I am proposing to you is 100% legitimate and doesn't breach any international or locally banking laws. So there is nothing for you to worry about.

Due to special circumstance I have contacted you being a total stranger to me. I do not expect any money from you but your honest corporation and I hope that I can trust you to hold the communication between us in the highest confidence?

I am an Accountant/manager at the Internal auditing department of one of the leading bank in South Africa in my bank in South Africa (RENNIES BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA) we discovered an abandoned large sum of money (US$17.5M) belonging to one of our Foreign Customer, an Energy Economics, Finance & Technology consultant and also co funder of Harmony Gold Mining company (http://www.harmony.co.za/b/ops_sa_doornkop.asp), who involved in air crash along with his family. You can confirm from the website below.
http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:qIN-W96hYrMJ:www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/media/media633.shtml+Dr+Shimon+Awerbuch&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=za

No other person knows about this account or anything concerning these funds, the stated beneficiaries are dead also, so if we do not remit this funds out it will be confiscated into the Government Treasure as dormant funds. I am seeking for your Co-operation to present or front you as the beneficiary of the funds.

Our importance/role in the proposed deal is the fact that we are well positioned and officially capable of leveraging a successful claim of the available cash, by presenting you as a beneficiary; we are equally capable of setting up the internal paper work as a basis to officially make it possible for you to be recognized as the bona-fide next of kin and beneficiary to the available cash, which of course, will be eventually split between us on the terms that we have agreed on (60 for me and my colleague, while 40 for you).

However, if you are interested in this transaction and willing to allow us to front you as beneficiary, first before we could do anything we are to have a common understanding among ourselves because the amount of money we are talking about is large sum of funds. I wish to inform you that we will use my influence to project you as the beneficiary of the funds and approve the funds over to you, as soon as I have your maximum support and confidentiality from you I will furnish you all details documents regarding this transaction.

The success of the claim will depend on how confidentially you handle the proposed deal, and how responsive you are in terms of granting us your consent and co-operation in every necessary manner, in order to make the proposed deal a success. In turn, we promise to make the deal a resounding success with no backlash for you or for us.

Consequently as a result of the urgency and time being of the essence in this transaction, I will appreciate you forward to me the following information for confirmations before we proceed to enable me brief you further about this transaction.

1 Your direct confidential (Cell Number) telephone(s)
2 Your confidential fax numbers
3 Your full names
4 Your Age
5 Your Country of Resident and Address
6 Occupation/profession

I will want to give you the assurance that this project is scheduled to be completed within 10 to 14 working days if all instructions are followed up religiously. But you have to assure and guarantee me that you are going to be trustworthy and honest as soon as the funds arrives in your hands because human behaviors are funny at times especially when it comes to money issue.

I wait to hear from you soonest.

Thank you,
Mr. Sipho
sipvt2@hotmail.com

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