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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: "philip zuma" <phil_zuma001@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 14:39:50 +0200
Subject: How Are You Today?

From: Barrister Philip Zuma
Tel: +27-73-442-5543
Pretoria (FCT),
South Africa.

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL


Warm Greeting,


I know you will be surprise to receive this letter from a total stranger,
but do consider it a request from a reputable Attorney-At-Law in a serious
need of your assistance. I had to bring before you this proposal because I
sincerely hope you will be reliable to assist me.

However, my name is above stated and I am the personal Attorney to Mr.
Farooq Ahmed, a national (Citizen) of Malaysia, who was working with Shell
Petroleum Development Company here in South Africa. Here in after shall be
referred to as my Client.

Meanwhile, on the 21-08-2004, my client and his family were involved in a
car accident along Pretoria Expressway while on their way to picnic, and all
the occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I
have made several enquiries to his Embassy here to locate any of my clients
Extended Relatives, but all my effort to locate his relatives was abortive
and unsuccessful. So after these unsuccessful attempts, I finally got your
contact while I was on a random search.

I have contacted you to assist me in repatriating huge amount of money that
belongs to my death Client; the amount involved is US$14.7Million (Fourteen
Million Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars). I sincerely need your urgent
assistance before it will be confisicated or declared unserviceable by the
South African Reserve Bank, where this huge amount was deposited. The said
bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of Kin to the deceased or
have the fund confisicated by the end of this year. For the fact that I
have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over a year now, I seek
your consent to present you as the Next of Kin to the Deceased so that the
proceeds of this account can be paid to you.

Therefore, on my receipt to your positive response, we shall discuss on the
modus operandi of the transaction/transfer. Note that I have all the
necessary information and legal strength required to back up for this claim.
All I need from you is your honest co-operation to enable us see this
transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate
arrangement that will protect us from any breach of the law.

Conclusively, your contacts are very essential to facilitate communication,
so endeavour to enclose your Telephone, Mobile and fax numbers. Further
discussion/elaboration will commence as soon as I hear or read from you, but
do not forget the absolute confidentiality and mutual trust required in this
transaction. Kindly contact me on the above-specified channels of contact.

Thanks and God Bless You.

Yours Truly,

Barrister Philip Zuma
(Attorney-At-Law & Public Notary)

_________________________________________________________________
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