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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: desmondnko desmondnko <desmondnko_7@msn.com>
Reply-To: <desmondnkomo02@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:20:01 +0000
Subject: From Desmond,






From Desmond,

This message might meet you in utmost surprise; however, it’s our urgent need for a foreign partner that made me to contact you. And I pray that our decision to contact you will be given genuine approval, considering the facts that we have not known each other before.My name is Desmond Nkomo, I am a Zimbabwean by nationality. Presently I live in Ghana with my mother due to the present political crisis in my country that took the live of my father who was a Politician in my beloved country Zimbabwe. I write to inform you of my desire to complete my Study, Invest and to buy a Living house in your country.
>We have One Metallic Trunk Box that is presently in United Kingdom supposed to be delivered to our foreign partner (Mr. Michael Foster) beneficiary, but due to some misunderstanding, we have to call the Diplomat to stop the delivery.

Our former beneficiary came to Ghana to meet and discuss with the security company where the box where deposited and ask the company to deliver the box to him in United Kingdom. As at when he came to Ghana to meet with the company, we where allowed by the company to inspect the truck box and as at the time of inspection, we collected from the box, money to pay for insurance, the demurrages, Anti-Terrorist and Drug Certificate and custom charges and also for the shipment of the trunk box to the United Kingdom or any part of the world. So we have taken care of all charges covering the consignment.
>We told Mr. Michael Foster we will give him 25% percent of the total amount of $7.5 million United States Dollars in the trunk box, which he agreed but when the boxes gets to Heathrow International Airport in London UK, he called and told me and my mother that if he receives the consignments, we have to split the fund equally, so he will have to take 50% of the funds, my mother refused and ask the shipping company to stop the delivery to him.

This is why we came to you. Please, help us to receive the truck box, so that my mother and I can come and live with you so that I can continue my studies and my mother can invest our share in your country. Now the trunk box is there in the United Kingdom. Please get back to me so that I can send you the name and telephone number of the diplomat there in the
London UK.

Before the diplomat left Africa, the delivery of my consignment box has been paid for to any part of the world. If you are ready to accept my delivery, I will instruct the Diplomat to make the delivery for you. What I will need from you, is to send me the full detail of your address of delivery and your direct phone number for easy communication. So that I can instruct the diplomat to commence the delivery to you.
Awaiting for your urgent reply.

Thank you very much and may the Almighty God bless you.
Desmond Nkomo

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