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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: "Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tsvangirai2010@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 06:49:23 -0700
Subject: YOUR URGENT RESPONSE IS NEEDED.

Dear ,

This proposal is to seek your partnership and assistance in potential investments. My name is Morgan Tsvangirai (Zimbabwean Prime Minister) the Leader of the opposition (MDC) in Zimbabwe and against the leadership of the present government of president Robert G. Mugabe who has grossly violated the country’s constitution for his desire to practice dictatorship.

Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the current President of Zimbabwe, under the ruling party ZANU PF. One of the leader of the liberation movements against white-minority rule, he was elected into power as the head of government since 1980, as Prime Minister from 1980 to 1987, and as the first executive head of state since 1987. An agreement for a power-sharing government was reached in September 2008, in which Mugabe would remain president but would cede some power to me to become prime minister. The power-sharing government was implemented in February 2009.

Due to the high level of instability in the system, my bankers usually move my funds out of Zimbabwe to Ghana specifically for investment. I intend to invest these funds into real estates, energy and other ideal investments that might yield good profit. I am not prepared to manage these funds, therefore an investment manager will have to determine how the resources will be managed.

Kindly understand that the essence of this proposal is to seek your esteemed involvement to manage the investment on my behalf. All funds are in the amount of $87 Million United Dollars. You will take possession of the total amount as the foreign beneficiary/investment manager, and whilst you will determine the best investment to lodge the entire funds into, but you will have to secure it an account until a bond is established whereby pros and cons of our partnership will be spelt out.

At the moment I am in Ghana to negotiate with the custodians of the funds for a way forward. Please indicate your willingness to receive the funds by reaching me back upon receipt of this message, and be informed that I will be glad to entertain any questions you might find necessary to ask. I lost my wife in an auto accident last year, I have not been able to get over it. I will attach some family pictures and conferences.

Yours faithfully
Morgan Tsvangirai

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