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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: Ministry of Transport & Aviation <gillanga@gmail.com>
Reply-To: gilbertlanga@gala.net
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 05:39:28 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Invitation For Partnership

Good Day,

I am Engr. Gilbert Langa, Director of Project, South Africa Department of Transport and Aviation.
I am making this contact with you based on my need for an individual/company who is willing to assist me with a solution to a money transfer.

This amount $35m represents the balance of the total contract Value Executed during the 2010 World Cup Airport expansion on behalf of the Department by a foreign contracting firm, which we the officials over-invoiced deliberately, of which the actual sum has been paid to the company that supply all the equipment.

Should you be willing to assist us in the transaction, your share of the sum will be 25% of the $35million, 70% for us and 5% for taxation and miscellaneous expenses.

To enable us commence, I will need your personal telephone/fax number.

I await your immediate response.
Best Regards,
Engr. Gilbert Langa
Reply to this email:gilbertlanga@gala.net
Department of Transport and Aviation

Anti-fraud resources: