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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: "Clive Peters" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <clive.claims@gala.net>
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:10:40 +0200
Subject: Amount-last notice

Dear Sir,

I have been mandated as the cordinating principal for this transaction to source for a trustworthy individual to represent my colleagues and I as the beneficiary and the recipient of a contract payment for which he will be paid a substantial percentage of the payment as commission.
I am a native South African and a senior employee of the South African department of Minerals and Energy Affairs. The contract payment in question in the amount of USD$18.5M was sourced from overinvoicing of a contract awarded to a foreign company NETWORK CONSTRUCTION INC. This contract was awarded with the help of my colleagues and I who made up a part of the contract award committee.
Following agreements reached with Network construction Incorporated, the overinvoiced amount in the sum of USD$18.2Million which was supposed to be paid to them as the final phase payment upon completion of contract will now go to us as our commission.

The only problem is that in our capacity as civil servants we can’t effect release of this payment directly to our own bank accounts. This is in addition to the fact that all civil servants in my country are prohibited from owning foreign bank accounts. This makes it necessary for us to contract a third party to help us receive the payment into his nominated account.
If you decide to work with us, you will be entitled to 30% of the total amount, 5% will be set aside to cover expenses that will be incurred in the process of effecting release of this payment while 65% will be for my colleagues and I. This generous commission is to ensure your total commitment and loyalty to this transaction. The risks involved are minimal and only to my colleagues and I as knowledge of our involvement in this transaction will surely result in legal prosecution for us. It is therefore important that you keep this transaction absolutely confidential.

We have already completed the groundwork for a successful completion of this transaction which will take about 14 working days from the day the application for payment is made. Please see below the steps we will take to process this payment.

[1] Immediately you decide to work with us, an application for payment in the name of network construction Inc. will be submitted to the department of Minerals and Energy affairs requesting them to make payment to their nominated bank account which in this case will be your bank account,

[2] My colleagues and I who hold strategic positions in the ministry will ensure that the application for payment is given immediate approval.

[3] Payments will then be effected by the South African Reserve Bank on receipt of exchange control approval from the Ministry of Finance. This payment will reach your nominated account through any of our correspondent banks.

[4] Immediately approval is issued for payment, our representative will meet with you to arrange for an account where our share of the transaction will be deposited.

Please reply in confidence to the undersigned with your telephone number.
Regards,
Clive Peters
Co-ordinating Principal.

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