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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • markusowen2000@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "markus owen" <markusowen21@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 18:20:47 +0000
Subject: TRADE AND INDUSTRY( INVESTMENT)

FROM THE DESK OF MR. MARKUS OWEN

DEP ARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

116 PROES STREET PRETORIA 0001. SOUTH AFRICA

TELEPHONE NUMBER 27- 782289289

CONTACT ME THROUGH MY PRIVATE Email: markusowen2000@yahoo.com

 

                                                                Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing you this mail in anticipation that it will be strictly confidential. First and foremost, I would want to introduce myself to you. My is name Mr. MARKUS OWEN, a Senior Accounting Officer with the Ministry of Trade and Industry in the Republic of South Africa. I write to solicit your sincere co-operation in order to redeem an investment interest currently being held under trust under my Department in the Ministry.

The said investment which is now valued at US$27.5m was originally purchased by Reginald Smith and leased in 1984 to Mineral Investments Limited. At the maturity of the contract in May 2000,several attempts have been made without success to contact Mr. Reginald Smith or any of his relatives in whose favour the cash value could be made to.

 

 

As the Head of accounts in the Department, I have with the understanding and tacit co-operation of the project manager Mr. Merut Moweni carefully initiated the process of filing a claim for the money with the hope of having the Fund transferred abroad for investments on our behalf. As a matter of fact, we would like to reach an agreement with you to arrange payment of the claim in your name. We require that you let us prepare and file the claim for the money from this Department indicating your name as the appointed beneficiary of the Fund.

Upon approval of the payment of this claim, you will be paid Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars(US$27.5m) and since the money will be paid directly into your designated bank account in your Country, you will have the responsibility to ensure that we receive our share of the money which I and my colleague have decided to offer you 25% for your assistance while 75% will be for our own share. I want to assure you however, that we are to make the payment of the Fund possible provided you are ready to meet with us and give us a very strong guarantee that our share of the fund will be secured and that you would not betray our trust in making the transfer of the Fund into your Bank account.

This is a very safe and risk-free involvement as it is not prone to any enquiry since we are all active partners and will not want to loose our positions in Government. The need to contact you however, is because the money cannot go into indigenous bank accounts here because of the Code of Conduct (COC) of the Federal Civil Service Commission in the Republic. It is imperative to usher you in as a foreign partner so as to avoid suspicion from unconcerned quarters and most importantly, for fear of loosing our jobs.

Full details of the processes for the claim will be provided as soon as we receive your response and acceptance to be part of this agreement. Kindly adopt and treat accordingly.

CONTACT ME THROUGH MY PRIVATE Email: markusowen2000@yahoo.com

Best Regards,

Mr. Markus Owen

 

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam