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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: benneth zuma <benneth.zuma@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2013 15:01:04 +0000
Subject: From Prince Benneth Zuma.

>From Prince Benneth Zuma.
22 years old Boy
Abidjan -Cote d.Ivoire
Dear One,
It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I intend to
establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I
believe, one has to risk confiding in someone to succeed sometimes in life.
There is this amount of $16.5Million United States Dollar.which my late
father deposited with a bank in malaysia .which he wanted to used for his
political reason in our Country before he was assassinated.I am the only
son of my father , my father and mother was brutally kiiled along side with
my brothers and sisters by the rebel troops who stormed our house during
the resent politiocal crisis here in Cote d'Ivoire. I will say that,i was
very furtunate to escape death, because i was not in our house when the
rebels stormed our house. This is every sad incident, and unbearable lost ,
i saw my hole family killed and were burnt.
http://www.operationbrokensilence.org/?pV05
Now I have decided to invest these money in your country or any where safe
enough outside my country for security and political reasons. i want you to
send me immediately your bank detals were this fund will be transferd into
so that as soon as the money gets to your acount i will be coming over to
your country to finish my education and also the investment of the money
while you will be the maneger of the investment ontill i finish my
education,I will like to invest part of the money into these three
investment in your Country but, if there is any other business that is
better than what I am suggestion, I will be very glad to follow your advice.
1). Real estate
2). The transport industry
3). Five star hotel
If you can be of an assistance to me i will be pleased to offer you 20% Of
the total fund while the balance will be invested by you.
I await your soonest response Respectfully yours,
Prince Benneth Zuma

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