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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: "Dickson Mubane" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <vaginfo@aim.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:53:27 +0200
Subject: Good Day Friend,

Please reply to:vaginfo@aim.com
Good Day Friend,

With warm heart I offer my friendship, and my greetings, and I hope this letter meets you in good time. It will be surprising to you to receive this proposal from me since you do not know me personally.However, I am sincerely seeking your confidence in this transaction,which I propose with my free mind and as a person of integrity and from
a family with high moral respect .My name is Dickson Mubane, the first son of Mapele Mubane, of the most popular black farmer from Zimbabwe, murdered in the land dispute in my country. As led by my instict,My motherand Idecided to contact you through email, after searching for contacts via the internet,as it is the only means I can contact anybody since I am cutting off ties with Zimbabwe for security and safety reasons.However, I apologize if this is not acceptable to you. The purpose of this letter is to seek your most needed assistance in a business venture. Due to the land and political problems in Zimbabwe, as a result of President Robert Mugabe's introduction of new Land Act Reform wholly affecting the rich white farmers and the few rich black farmers, and his desire to hold on to power for life, my father for saw the danger that came in Zimbabwe. Before he was murdered, he withdrew all of our business foreign accounts in dollars and sold up our shares in major companies. We then went to

President Mugabe's support for the violent Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the society, led to the murder of my beloved father and other innocent lives. I was continually threatened to abandon my inheritance from my father after he was murdered. I resited for a while, but when the danger became unbearable, and I survived two murder attempts, I fled Zimbabwe. I am currently staying in the Netherlands where I am seeking political asylum. In fact my decision to come here to seek asylum, is because the security company from South Africa, has a branch here, and they have moved the deposit from their office in Johannesburg down here. I need you to assist in receiving this consignment from the security compamy. Since the law of Netherlands prohibits a refugee (asylum seeker) to be involved in such transactions and my mother advised that it will be better for our foreign partner to help receive this fund to avoid any eye brown being raised by Robert Mugabe, this is why I am seeking a genuin

For your assistance, I have two options for you. Firstly you can choose to have 10% of the money for your assistance, and helping my
family investing this funds, or you can go into partnership with me for the proper profitable investment of the money in your country. Whichever the option you want, please to notify me in your reply.I have also set aside 1% of this money for all kinds of expenses that come our way in the process of this transaction,and 4% of the total sum for Charity donation.

If you prefer to accept the 10% for assisting in representing my family to receive this funds, then 85%will be left for my family.Please, I want you to maintain the absolute secrecy for the purpose of this transaction. I look forward to your reply and co-operation, and I thank you in advance as I anticipate your co-operation.You can reach me on my private line which is or via email vaginfo@aim.com

Sincerely,
Dickson Mubane.
PLEASE YOU CAN READ ABOUT PROBLEMS IN ZIMBABWE FROM
THE LINKS BELOW.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/918781.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/715001.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1063785.stm

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