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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: "wyk van" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wykvan@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2018 09:52:18 -0600
Subject: FOR YOUR PERUSAL>

Hello today and hope I am not intruding your privacy as I may not know me personally but please take this mail into consideration because me and my family really needs your assistance.I am Johan Wyk Van,the son of Dr. Wyk Van,who was murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe. I got your contact through network on line in my search for a reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential transaction which involves a collection of deposits and I decided to write you, my late father was amongs the few foreign Zimbabwean rich farmers murdered in cold blood by the agents of the ruling government of president Robert Mugabe for his alleged support and sympathy for the Zimbabwean opposition party controlled by the white minority.

Before his death,he had taken to Johannesburg - South Africa to deposit the sum of US$ 35.5 Million (Thirty-five Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) with a foreign Security and Finance Company affiliate here in Johannesburg - South Africa as if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe. The money was deposited in a box as "Valuables" to avoid high charges demurrage from the Security Company. This money was embarked from the purchase of new machinery and chemical for farms and the establishment of new farms in Cape-verde and Swaziland.

More details will follow you awaited reply

Best Regards.

Johan Wyk Van(For the Family).

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