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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: "MR.MARK.AMSHABA." <mrmarkmashaba@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mrmarkmashaba1@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:00:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF:MR.MARK MASHABA.






From: Mr. Mark Mashaba.

Tel/Fax: 0027-73-533-5500.

Email :(
markmashaba1@htmail.com)                                                            


 

        
              
Re: Request for Confidential Business Relationship.

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

First, I must solicit your
confidence in this transaction. I am a high placed official working with
Department of Finance (& Economic Affairs), in Cape Town South Africa. I and two other colleagues are currently in need of a
silent foreign partner whose identity we can use to transfer the sum
of Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand U.S. dollars. (US$20,500,000.00)
this fund accrued legitimately to us as commission from foreign contracts,
through our private connections.

 

The fund is presently waiting to be
remitted from a commercial bank here in South Africa to any overseas beneficiary confirmed by us as
associate/receiver. By virtue of our positions as civil servants in my country,
we cannot acquire this money in our names. Because as high placed civil servants,
we are not allowed by the civil service code of conduct to own or operate bank
accounts outside of our shores. On the other hand, it is not safe for us to
keep the money here due to unstable political environment.

 

I have been mandated as a matter
of trust by my colleagues, to look for an overseas silent partner who could
work with us to facilitate transfer of this fund for our mutual benefit, hence
the reason for this email.

What I am requesting from you is:


 

(1) To be our silent partner and
receive the funds as the sole benefactor to the contract amount which we shall
secure all legal documentation to authenticate our claim.

 

(2) Provide a private telephone
and fax number for easy communication under your control.

 

(3) Receive the funds as the
beneficiary, take out your commission and keep the rest of the money until I
arrive there to meet you after the transfer is completed.

 

My proposal is that after you
receive the funds, it would be shared as follows: (1) 30% to you as commission
for your co-operation and assistance in facilitating the transfer, 5% will be
set aside to take care of any expenses which might be incurred by both parties
during the process of moving this fund to your account, while the remaining 65%
belongs to me and two colleagues. You will be free to take out your commission
immediately after the money hits your nominated account. Since our objective is
to invest the money in a foreign country, it would be appreciated if you could
also help us with advices and direction on investing into profitable/lucrative
ventures in your country for an additional 3%.

 

However, this is optional, and if
it is not convenient for you to further assist us with investing the money, we
can end our cooperation after you make available to us our part of the
money.  I confirm that the transaction is legitimate and without any risks
either to us or yourself. Please, give me your response immediately by return
mail through my alternate email: (markmashaba1@htmail.com)

 

Yours Faithfully,

 

Mr. Mark Mashaba.

 

 


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