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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: "Smith Attorneys" <tony_golftour2005@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: tony_golftour2006@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 08:20:18 +0000
Subject: Joint Partnership Proposal

Smit Attorneys (Germiston) Attorneys / Lawyers / law firms in  (South Africa)
FROM: TONY SMITH
 (B.Proc. L.L.B. UNIN)
SMITH PROKUREURS / ATTORNEYS
TEL: +27-72-353-8170 (DIRECT)
Email: tony_golftour2006@yahoo.co.uk 
 
ATTN: THE MANAGING DIRECTOR.
 
Subject: Joint Partnership Proposal
 
This mail may come to you as a surprise but I plead with you to Patiently read through it before making a decision whether to assist me or not. I am Tony N. Smith, a solicitor at law and the personal attorney to a national of your country, who is an Oil consultant/contractor with the South African Mining Corporation, (Name deliberately with held for now) made a numbered time (Fixed)Deposit for Twelve Calendar months, valued at US$16,500,000.00 (Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) in a Reputable Bank in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, in the Republic of South Africa.
 
On October 9, 2005, My client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident along Pretoria to Johannesburg express Way South Africa. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my client extended relatives this has also proved unsuccessful.
 
After these several unsuccessful attempts, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposit were lodged.  Particularly, The investigation Department of the bank where the deceased had an account valued US$16,500,000.00 (Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars). Have issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated after end of this financial year.
 
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives since their death, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same citizenship with him, so that the proceeds of this account valued at $16.5 million dollars can be paid to you and then you and me can share the money.60% to me and 30% to you, while 10% is for expenses. I have all necessary Information that can be used to back up any claim we may make. This money (US$16,500,000.00) is still lying in the Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. And according to Laws of Republic of South Africa, at the expiration of 5
(five) Years, the money will revert to the ownership of The South African Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.
 
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. There is no risk at all as I will do all the paperwork for this transaction and my position as personal accredited attorney officer to the deceased, guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested in giving the required assistance, kindly contact me immediately and provide me with your private telephone and fax number for easy access to communications.
 
I am looking forward to a favorable reply from you soon. Feel free to ask any question in this regard.
 
Yours Faithfully,

 
TONY N. SMITH
(B.Proc. L.L.B. UNIN)
SMITH PROKUREURS / ATTORNEYS
TEL: +27-72-353-8170 (DIRECT)
Email: tony_golftour2006@yahoo.co.uk


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