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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: "Mrs. Bridget Odola" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <peterodola32@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2015 05:43:36 -0700
Subject: mail.foodsafe.co.nz PROPOSAL FOR FAMILY HELP AND BUSINESS INVESTMENT.

 
From: Mrs. Bridget Odola & Peter Odola (Son)
#78 Pretoria Street, Johannesburg 2198, South Africa.
E-Mail: peterodola31@gmail.com
Dear Sir/Madam
PROPOSAL FOR FAMILY HELP AND BUSINESS INVESTMENT.
You may be surprised to receive this letter from me since you do not know my family personally; the purpose of my introduction is that, I am Mr. Peter Odola first son of Mr. Johnson Odola, who was recently murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe. I got your contact through South African Information Exchange decided to write you.
Before the death of my father, he had taken me to Johannesburg to deposit the sum of (US$ 45,500,000.00) Forty-five Million, Five Hundred Thousand U.S Dollars in one of the private This land problem came when Zimbabwean President MR.ROBERT MUGABE introduces a new Land Act reform which wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few black�s farmers. And this resulted to the killing and mob action by Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the society. In fact, a lot of people were killed because of this land reformed Act for which my father was one of the victim.
It is against this background that, I and my family who are currently staying in South Africa decided to transfer my father's money to foreign account since the law of South Africa prohibits a refugee (asylum seeker) to open any bank account or to be involved in any financial transaction throughout the territorial zone South Africa. As the eldest son of my father, I am saddle with the responsibility of seeking a genuine foreign account where this money could be transferred without the knowledge of my government who are bent on taking everything we have got. The South African government seems to be playing along with them. I am faced with the dilemma of investing this amount of money in South Africa for fear of going through the same experience in future since both countries have similar political history. Moreover, the South African Foreign Exchange Policy does not allow such investments for an asylum seeker.
As a businessman, who I have to entrust my future since both my future and of my family are in his hands, I must let you know that this transaction is risk free. If you accept to assist my family and I want you to do for me is to make arrangements and come to Johannesburg-South Africa, so that you can open a non-resident account, which you will aid us in transferring the money into any account which you will nominate overseas. This money I intended to use for investment.
I have two options for you; firstly you can choose to have certain percentage of the money for nominating your account for this transaction. Or you can go into partnership with me for proper profitable investment of the money in your country. Whichever the options you want, feel free to notify me. If you do not prefer partnership I am willing to give you 30% of the money while the remaining 70% will be for my investment in your country.
Contact my family with the above e-mail, and Telephone number while I implore you to maintain the absolute secrecy required in this transaction.
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Bridget Odola & Peter Odola (Son)
(For the Family)
PLEASE YOU CAN READ ABOUT PROBLEMS IN ZIMBABWE FROM THE LINKS BELOW.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/918781.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/715001.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1063785.stm
 

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