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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: "Vincent Z." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zvincentesq@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2017 07:58:18 -0800
Subject: IMPORTANT EMAIL FROM MR. KENNETH. GET BACK TO ME IF INTERESTED

Dear Partner
My name is Mr. Vincent Zulu; I am a manager with ABSA Bank here in South Africa. I write to solicit for your partnership in receiving genuine $27,500,000.00 USD (Twenty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) only from a US Dollar account in my branch.
The aforementioned fund $27.5 million USD is from a Gold Mining project that I helped financed, influentially. I gave the bank instrument used to finance the transaction and this amount was given to me for my role in the transaction.
 
Furthermore, as a Manager in the bank, I am not allowed to be part of  such a deal, because it's against my company's professional practice policy. So I am compelled to ask that you stand on my behalf and receive this fund into any account that is solely controlled by you.
 
 
The above sum is being kept under the name of the people/company I assisted to execute the deal and they have given me access to move my own share to any safe acount of my choice overseas.
 
I will compensate you with 30% of the total amount involved as gratification for being my partner in the transfer. Money will be moved out to you as soon as I confirm from you that you can be trusted and will not betray me by running away with the whole amount when you have  received the funds.
 
Get back to me with your contact information for more details.
Yours Truly,
Mr. Vincent Zulu
ABSA Bank, South Africa
 
 

Anti-fraud resources: