Prize Scam:

The scammer will send you an sms making it look like it comes from Love Mail, Telling you you have won a prize. The sms will look something like this

Lovemail.co.za Fineboy2011: Your IP address won PowerballSA/Nationallottery the sum of R350.000.Ref No: N15530.Contact Mike Collins *********.Fax:**********

We urge our users not to fall for any of these types of messages and to please let us know immediately should you receive such a message so we can block that user. An email can be sent to lovemaster@junkmail.co.za

A user will send a message in a similar format to the one below

"I admire your profile. Sincere emotions are very difficult to express but I don't think that I can hide mine from you at this point. email to here name@xxxxx.com"

The scam works in the following way:

A young (23-26 usually) beautiful lady often from an African State (Ivory Coast/Senegal/Sudan, etc), Eastern Europe or the Far East contacts you via your Love Mail listing, declaring her love and interest in you.

She will tell you about her traumatic experiences which led to her being in a refugee camp or other unfortunate environment.

Her father was a likely high-ranking officer within the armed forces or government, with great wealth. She needs assistance to smuggle out these funds from her country.

She will have a friend that you can contact by cellphone or email, or will ask for your contact number. The friend, often a pastor or other trusted person, will contact you requesting you to deposit a 'small' amount of money into their account to assist with the transfer of the large amount to your account.

After depositing the funds, you will not hear from the young lady or her friend again, and your funds will have vanished.