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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • stephenzuma_2@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "stephen zuma" <stephenzuma_15@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: stephenzuma_2@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2006 15:57:47 +0200
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS DEAL

From: Manager
Audit / Claims Department
ABSA bank P.L.C
South Africa.
Rev Dr, Stephen Zuma.

Dear Friend,

I hope that you are well today. I am the Manager Audit/Claims department in
ABSA bank of South Africa.
With due respect, I decided to contact you over this business financial
transaction worth the sum of FOUR MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($
4,000,000.00) in other to entrust this fund into your bank account.

This is an ABANDONED FUND, which I found out to belongs to one of our
customers, ANDREAS SCHRANNER (German) who died along with his entire family
on 25th July 2000 in a plane crash disaster, I was very fortune to meet the
deceased file when I was arranging the old and abandoned customers file of
2000-2006 in other to submit to the management accordingly for documentation
purposes.
Following the South African banking policy, it was obviously indicated and
signed lawfully that if such Funds remains unclaimed after 3 (three) years
without somebody been a foreigner apply and claim the Fund as the next of
kin, the Fund will be transferred into the Government Treasury as an
unclaimed.

This will cause other staff of my bank to notice that the owner of the Fund
has died. So the request of you as a foreigner is necessarily needed for the
claim because a citizen of South Africa cannot come forward to claim this
Fund since the law does not pave a way for an indigene to claim such
fund.Since the real beneficiary of the fund died, my company is expecting
the next of kin to apply for the release of this fund for him or her without
delay, but unfortunately I learnt through the investigations which I carried
out that there is nobody behind who can come and claim the fund, I need you
to act fast so that we do not loose this once-in-a-life-time- opportunity.

You shall provide me with your details so that you and I can claim this
money, so that we can raise an affidavit of fact that you are the
beneficiary of this fund in order for us to move it to your bank account
where it will be comfortable for you and me.

SIXTY FIVE PERCENT (65%) of the total fund will be for me. THIRTY PERCENT
(30%) for you for all your efforts. five PERCENT (5%) will be for unexpected
expenses, which may occur during the process, thereafter you will help me to
visit your country for sharing the money according to the percentage
indicated above.

For the immediate transfer of this fund into your bank account as arranged,
please note that you should keep this business secret until you confirm the
transfer into the bank account which you will provide, and there is NO RISK
in this business. All necessary documents related to this and which will
prove that you made a legal claim of inheritance shall be provided. Please
view details of the plane crash on the website below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

It is true that I prayed before I was pushed forward to contact you for this
business but I want you to also assure me solemnly that you are a
trustworthy, reliable, honest and capable to avoid cheating me in this
business.
If you are really sure of your integrity, reply me through this email
address (stephenzuma_2@yahoo.com) for more detailed information.

May our lord JESUS bless you and your family?



Yours faithfully,



Rev Dr Stephen Zuma.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam