419 scam: "Mr. Lulu Gwagwa" <lulugwagwa2014@hotmail.com> I have been trying to reach you!!

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "first national bank" (not involved with lotteries)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +27839740773 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- gwagwa.za@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Lulu Gwagwa" <lulugwagwa2014@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: gwagwa.zaa@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 18:28:23 +0100
Subject: I have been trying to reach you!!

First National Bank of South Africa (FNB)
FOREIGN TRANSFER OPERATION UNIT
6th Floor - #1 First Place, Bank City
Cnr Simmonds and Pritchard Streets
Johannesburg Gauteng South Africa 2001
Ref: SARB/PED/FNB/101/2014
Telegrams: 12409
Mobile: +27-83-974-0773
Fax; +27-86-616-9684
Email: gwagwa.za@hotmail.com

I am Mr. Lulu Gwagwa (FCAA) the chief accountant of FIRST NATIONAL BANK
SOUTH AFRICA (FNB). There is an account opened in this bank in 1999 and
since 2001 nobody has operated on this account. After going through some old
files in my records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out
urgently it would be forfeited for nothing.

The owner of this account is COL. MUAMMAR GADDAFI, late Libyan president who
died since 2011 during Libya uprising and NATO invasion in Libya. No other
person knows this account or anything concerning it as it was open by his
son, MUTASSIM BILLAH GADDAFI who is dead as well, the account has no other
beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that his family does
not know anything about this account and the money involved is Forty Million
United States Dollars (USD$ 40,000,000.00). I want us to first transfer
US$20 Million from this money into your safe overseas account before the
rest can be transferred. I am only contacting you as a foreigner because
this money cannot be approved to a local bank here, but can only be approved
to any foreign account been it personal or Investment account the Bank here
in South Africa will accept it because the money is in United States Dollars
and the former owner Late COL. MUAMMAR GADDAFI is a foreigner too.

This deposit was for 5 years so it has over matured hence I want to use this
opportunity that the only survivor son (heir)SAIF AL ISLAM GADDAFI, was
captured by rebel forces as he tried to flee the country his family had
ruled for four decades. We cannot release the fund from his account unless
someone applies for claim as the next-of kin to the deceased as Indicated in
our banking guidelines and Banking Ethics of South Africa. It may interest
you to know that I can secure from the probate an order of mandamus to
present you as the family foreign partner /beneficiary) I need your full
co-operation to make this work fine because the management is ready to
approve this payment to any foreigner who has correct information of this
account, which I will give to you as soon as you indicate your sincerity to
co-operate with me, and capability to handle such amount in strict
confidence and trust according to my instructions and advice for our mutual
benefit because this opportunity may never come again in lives.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message before we negotiate your
percentages on your response for conclusion of this project, while the rest
shall be for us for investment purposes, if this proposal is acceptable to
you, do not take undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you. Upon
your acceptance of this proposal kindly send me a text message or call me at
mobile: +27-83-974-0773

Yours sincerely,

Mr. LULU GWAGWA (FCAA)
First National Bank of South Africa (FNB)
FOREIGN TRANSFER OPERATION UNIT
6th Floor - #1 First Place, Bank City
Cnr Simmonds and Pritchard Streets
Johannesburg Gauteng South Africa 2001
Ref: SARB/PED/FNB/101/2014
Telegrams: 12409
Mobile: +27-83-974-0773
Fax; +27-86-616-9684
Email: gwagwa.za@hotmail.com

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