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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "clearance document" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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)
  • "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • mrkhuma@webmail.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "David khumalo" <mrkhuma@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 00:47:37 -0700
Subject: hi


MR.DAVID KHUMALO.

#24 Ellwood Crescent,

Pretoria,

South Africa.

Email. ( *mrkhuma@webmail.co.za*<http://in.mc79.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mrkhuma@webmail.co.za>
)

I am Mr. David Khumalo, an auditor with African Development Bank (ADB).
There was an account opened in this bank in 1980 and since 2001 nobody has
operated on this account again. After going through some old files in the
records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently, this
funds will go down the drains, into the hands of either the board of
directors of this bank or the funds may eventually be discovered by the
government as a dormant fund in the forthcoming audit by the Nations
auditors. They will confiscate or send it into the government's treasure.
The question now is who is the government and where is the treasury? These
are human beings like you and I. The owner of this account is DR.B.DREDO, a
foreigner, and a miner at Kruger gold co., a geologist by profession and he
died in 2001. No other person knows about this account or any thing
concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary and my investigation
proved to me as well that his company does not know anything about this
account. The amount involved is Ten Million, Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars.

I am only contacting you, as a foreigner because this money cannot be
approved to a local bank here, but can only be approved to any foreign
account and foreign beneficiary because the money is in US dollars and the
real owner of the account DR.B.DREDO, is a foreigner too.

I only got your contact address from my secretary who operates computer;
with believe in god that you will never let me down in this business so that
I will inform you the next step to take immediately.

I need your full co-operation to make this work fine because the management
is ready to approve this payment to any foreigner, who has correct
information of this account, which I will give to you later, if you will be
able to handle such amount in strict confidence and trust according to my
instructions and advice for our mutual benefit because this opportunity will
never come again in our life.

With my position now in the office I can transfer this money to any
foreigner's reliable account, which you can provide with assurance that this
money will be intact pending my physical arrival in your country for sharing
and investment.

I will also use my position and influence to effect legal approvals and
onward transfer of this money to your account with appropriate clearance
documents from the ministries and foreign exchange department.

I look forward to your earliest reply via my private email. ( *
mrkhuma@webmail.co.za*<http://in.mc79.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mrkhuma@webmail.co.za>
)

Yours Friendly,

Mr. David Khumalo.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam