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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Alex <support@wal-valley.com>
Reply-To: harleysalex8@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 21:57:00 +0800
Subject: Transfer .


Hello,

My Name is Mr. Alex harley, and I’m the Chief Operating Officer in the
Accounting Unit of Standard Bank of South Africa (SBSA). This message
might meet you in utmost surprise. However, it's just my urgent need
for a foreign partner that made me to contact you for this
transaction.

An account was opened in my bank by one of my customers in the name of
MR. THOMAS BAHIA a Dutch National from Germany who was a
consultant/contractor with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power
here in South Africa made a numbered time Fixed Deposit, valued at
$11,500,000.00 (Eleven Million, Five hundred Thousand United States
Dollars) for twelve (12) Calendar months in my Bank branch, but since
2010, this account has never be operated.

Upon maturity, we sent a routine notification to his forwarding
address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and
finally I discovered from his contract employers that MR. THOMAS BAHIA
is no longer alive: he died with his entire family in a
plane crash that occurred in Libya on the 12th of May 2010 and below
is a link for your view.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/world/middleeast/13libya.html

The said fund is still in my Bank branch and the interest is being
rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year.

Now the fund is $12,200,000.00 (Twelve Million Two Hundred Thousand US
Dollars) because of the accumulated interest.

In accordance with South Africa Government Law, at the expiration of
11 (Eleven) years, the money will be reverted back to the ownership of
the Government of South Africa if nobody comes forward for the funds
and it will be tagged unclaimed funds.

Consequently, I want to present you as the next of kin to this late
customer because you are a foreigner like him and the funds will be
transferred to your Bank account and after the successful transfer of
the funds, I will come over to your country for the sharing and the
money will be shared in the ratio of 45% for me, 45% for you and 10%
to cover our expenses after the deal.

There is no risk involved, as I will use my position in the Bank to
secure approvals and guarantee the successful execution of this
transaction within 9-working days.

If this proposal interests you, let me know by sending me an email and
I will send to you detailed Information on how this business would be
successfully transacted. Be informed that nobody knows about the
secret of this fund except me and I know how to carry out the entire
transaction.

Please include your private phone numbers for a voice talk and reply
to me through the email below:
harleysalex8@gmail.com

Looking forward to your urgent reply to enable me give you more
details

Thanks,
Mr. Alex harley


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