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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: "Mr. Stephen Vusi." <kate.mcgrath73@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fico19733@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2016 05:34:16 +0100
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS ASSISTANCE


From: Mr. Stephen Vusi.
Email: fico19733@gmail.com <mailto:fico19733@gmail.com>
Email: stephen.vusi1973@hotmail.com <mailto:stephen.vusi1973@hotmail.com>



Hello,

I am aware that this letter will come to you as something of a surprise, but I apologize to you if I have encroached in your privacy. My name is Mr. Stephen Vusi (from Harare, Zimbabwe) and I got your address through the Bloemfontein
refuge camp information center. I am the first son of late Chief Vusi a farmer and business man who died in September 2013 as a result of the land dispute in my country, Zimbabwe.

My father used to be a very good friend of Mr. Robert Mugabe until the government introduced the land use decree which enforced the seizure of all white owned farms few years ago. Due to my fathers, and other eminent persons
opposition to the land use act which was well pronounced all over the world, even up to date,





Mr. Mugabe became my fathers worst enemy, he seized his farm and imprisoned him for a long time. After the legal institution of my countryfound my father not guilty and he was released, Mr. Mugabe used his powers as the president and plotted the assassination of my father in his farm. He was burnt to ashes and his remain were thrown into the bore hole in his farm. We discovered this and wrote several petitions against the government. Knowing that this petition has reached a very heated stage, Mr Mugabe decided to eliminate my entire family.

My sister and brother were kidnapped from their school and until today, they have not been found. I ran to South Africa with my sick mother and younger brother to this refugee camp, where we have been since December 2013.

I am writing to let you know that, when my father was alive, he took me to South Africa and we visited a company where he kept a consignment which he informed me was loaded with the sum of 21.7 Million. This money was gotten from the sale of several of his farm machinery in combination with that of a few of his white friends whose family could not finally make it out of Zimbabwe (they were all killed secretly). They had to sell off their machinery to avoid seizure and also to ensure that they do not loose all they acquired in life.

My request here is to seek your assistance to retrieve this consignment from the company. As a refugee, I can do nothing about it and to lay claim to it will be a big problem for my family, since Mr. Mugabe is still in power. We have contacted a financial adviser who has agreed to process the necessary legal documents to assist you claim this consignment as your own. The security company does not know the contents as it was deposited by my father as
diplomatic valuables.

My hope is to ensure that this money gets into a bank and as refugees we cannot operate any account. We shall offer you 35 percent of the total amount for all your efforts while 5 percent will be used to offset any expenses that might come up during this transaction then the remaining 60 percent will be for my family to enable us embark on any lucrative investment in your country with your help. If you are willing and kind enough to assist us, please contact us on any of the above email.





I hope seriously that you consider this as way to assist us get out of the mess we are in. Thank you as I wait for your urgent response.


Best Regards,

Stephen Vusi.


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