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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: Stella Sigcau <stellamike2010@live.com> (may be fake)
Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 02:52:23 +0200
Subject: I BEG YOU IN THE NAME OF GOD...I NEED YOUR HELP

Hello Dear, My name is Stella Sigcau, the elder daughter of Mr. Zac sigcau of Zimbabwe, I am 17 years old with my younger brother (Micheal), we are in Ghana as refuge/asylum since we lost our parents because of the recent war that occurred in our country.please do go through this web page for better understanding with full details: http://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0418/zimbabwe.html I got your esteem contact and particulars out of desperate search for a business minded personality in your country, who will honestly assist my younger brother and I to realize our inherited funds into your account and as well as invest it into a lucrative business. During the recent war against the farmers in Zimbabwe from the supporters of our President, Robert Mugabe to claim all the white -owned farms to his party members and his followers, he ordered all the white farmers to surrender all their farms to his party members and his followers. My father being one of the few rich and successful black farmers in our country was also victimized because of his opposition to Mugabe's policies. And because he did not support Mugabe's ideas, Mugabe's supporters invaded my father's farm and burnt everything in the farm, killed my father and made away with a lot of items in my father's farm. This action was taken because my late father felt the growing tension on the farm issue, but I guess he never anticipated the tragedy that brought their brutal and sudden death. However with the benefit of hindsight, owing to the looming but deteriorating crisis in my country, Zimbabwe, my father, before his unfortunate death deposited with International Commercial Bank (ICB) here in Accra Ghana the sum of US$ 35MUsd (Thirty Five Million United States Dollars), with the sole aim of acquiring and buying some dredging equipments in setting up of a dredging firm with his partner. With his death and all his assets seized at home and accounts frozen, the family is now in a very difficult situation. After the death of my father, my brother and I escaped to the Republic of Ghana where he had deposited the money in the Bank .And we were permitted to reside here as Political Refugees. So Because of our present and unpleasant status here we decided to contact an overseas firm / individual that can assist us to move this money out Of Ghana because, as asylum seekers, we are not allowed to operate any financial transaction of such amount within Ghana and also to assist in providing me and my brother a permanent residential permit in your country after the money must have been transferred to your account. We have agreed to offer you 30% of the total sum for your assistance, and the rest will be for my brother and I, to Invest in your country under your assistant All I want you to do is to furnish me with the below information including your readiness to assist me achieve this transaction for investment purposes in your country under your supervision. Kindly re-confirm to me the followings: 1) Your Full Name: 2) Phone, Fax and Mobile 3) Profession, Age and Marital Status. 4) Nationality I have to re-assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free and should be treated with absolute confidentiality. All the vital documentation/certification that has to do with the origin of the fund is with me for the security reasons.And I will send them to you when we progress.And I guarantee you that this fund is not government fund, drug money, or from arms deals. I will detail you more about the bank immediately I receive your acceptance response. I hope this is the beginning of a prosperous relationship between us.Thanks and God bless you Regards Stella/Micheal +233 547331145

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