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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: "Mr. Morgan Mark" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <morganmark1998@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:18:57 +0200
Subject: Business Deal & Mutual Understanding

Engr. Morgan Mark
Department of Minerals and Energy
Republic of South Africa
Email:morganmark1998@gmail.com
Tel: +27739201214

Business Deal & Mutual Understanding

Dear Friend,

It is my great pleasure to write you this letter on behalf of my colleagues. Your information was given to me by a member of the South African Export Promotion Council (SAEPC) who was with the Government delegation on a trip to overseas country for bilateral conference talks to encourage foreign investors. I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation with you in the execution of the deal hereunder for the benefit of all parties and hope you will keep it confidential because of the nature of this business.

Within the Department of Minerals & Energy where I work as a Director of Audit and Project Implementation and with the co-operation of three other top officials, we have in our possession an overdue payment in US Dollar funds. The said funds represent certain percentag e of the total
contract value executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign contracting firm, which we the officials over-invoiced to the amount of US$28.500,000.00 (Twenty Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars).

Though the actual contract cost has been paid to the original contractor,leaving the excess balance unclaimed.Since the present Government is determined to pay all foreign contractor's debts owed in order to maintain good relationship with foreign governments and non-governmental agencies. We intend to include our bills for approvals with the Department of Finance and the Contracts Award and Payments Committee. So we are seeking your assistance to front as beneficiary of the unclaimed funds, since we are not allowed to operate foreign accounts. Details and change of beneficiary information upon application for claim to reflect payment and approvals will be secured on behalf of you /your company.

I have the authority of my partners involved to propose that should you be willing to assist us in this transaction your share as compensation will be so negotiated and agreed upon by both you and we on this side, before further details will change hands to enhance our primary objective. The mode of sharing after a successful transfer of the money into your account, shall be 70% to my colleagues and I, for the role you will be expected to play in this deal, we have agreed to give you 25% of the total sum and 5% for the expenses we are going to encounter by the two parties at the course of this transaction.

The business is completely safe and secure, provided you treat it with utmost confidentiality. It does not matter whether you/your company does contract projects as a transfer of powers will be secured in favor of you/your company to settle any legality. Also, your area of specialization is not a hindrance to the successful execution of this transaction. I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint us.

I expect your urgent response to enable us conclude this transaction urgently without any hitch. Kindly notify me further details upon your acceptance of this proposal via my private email ( morganmark1998@gmail.com). Please also feel free to call me on +27780081450.

Thanks for your co-operation.

Best Regard

Engr. Morgan Mark

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