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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: <ricwiilly60@centrum.sk>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:18:25 +0200
Subject: Re:I am looking forward to your quick reply.


Dear friend,
                 Can you handle this project?

I got your contact through a discreet search from the Internet; hence i decided to contact you for a business that will benefit me and you. My name is Richard Williams, the lawyer of late Mr. David Stevens, a wealthy white farmer who was murdered on the land dispute in Zimbabwe. I have no doubt you may be aware of the Zimbabwe Land Reform conflict by President Robert Mugabe; if you read the BBC or CNN news online you can find some documented pictures of this incident.

Before the death of my client, he had traveled to Accra-Ghana to deposit the sum of US$12M (Twelve million United States Dollars) in one of the banks in Ghana, due to the looming danger in Zimbabwe. The money was meant for the purchase of new machineries, chemicals etc. for the farms and establishment of his new farm in Swaziland.

The land problem came when Zimbabwean President Mr. Robert Mugabe introduced a new land act reform, which wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few black farmers. This resulted in the killing and mob action of Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the society. In fact a lot of people were killed because of this land reform act, of which my client was one of the victims.

It is against this background that since i have all the documents relating to the deposit of the funds here in Ghana, I have decided to seek for an honest foreigner whom I can entrust this fund to that’s why I have contacted you through this media. Since I wouldn’t like to front myself to receive the money directly, for security reasons I want to make you the beneficiary of the funds, so that you can stand as my late client’s foreign business associate/relative, and i will testify to enable the bank transfer the funds to any bank account of your choice, and me and you will share the money.

I must also let you know that this transaction is risk free because i have all the proof documents with me, of which when we progress i will send to you for review.
I intend to use the money for investment and growth in your country or any other country you may suggest under your kind advice. I have two options for you(1.)For your assistance/commitment you will earn US$3.6 Million(30%)of the total sum (US$12 Million) or(2.)You can go into partnership with me in any business we shall decide to invest in your country or elsewhere. Please let me know which one you prefer.

If you are interested to work with me and benefit yourself from it also, i want you to reply quickly and send me your personal telephone and fax numbers, to enhance more effective communication and I will tell you the procedure for the claiming of the funds.

Finally, I want you to treat this matter as urgency because we don't have time in our hands. I am daring need to relocate to your country as soon as we complete this transaction since I cannot invest the money here in order to avoid rising of eyebrows on me.

I am looking forward to your quick reply through this my private email address.(ricwiilly60@yahoo.ca)

Regards,
Richard Williams.

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