419 scam: <> Urgent Transfer Assistance

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +27734104072 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- mrspatriciama1@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: <>
Reply-To: <mrspatriciama1@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2015 08:44:00 -0800
Subject: Urgent Transfer Assistance

Please pay attention and understand my aim of e-mailing you today. Mrs. Patricia Mabena a principal accountant in Standard Bank of South Africa. I want you to consider this transaction with strict and utmost confidentiality.
I discovered an account with a credit balance of US$14, 600,000 .00 (Fourteen Million, Six Hundred American Dollars) that belongs to one of our foreign customers (Lewis Hill) deceased, an American citizen. However, with my position in the bank, I have all access, secret details and necessary contacts to claim transfer this fund without any hitch. I only need your sincere cooperation as a foreigner to partner and assume the beneficiary as the next of kin of the original owner by officially submitting to the bank the application of claim. I assure you of a perfect transfer strategy that will be placed in your name legally; it is a risk free involvement for you. I have every arrangement/s to effectively secure and transfer the fund.

For your assistance to achieve this objective, you are entitled to 40% of the total sum upon consideration and acceptance of the offer.
Please provide me (Your full name, Contact address and your direct telephone/fax number) to enable me re-profile the fund to your name and contacts as the beneficiary of the said fund. An official telegraphic transfer would be made to your nominated bank account. Please I require that you hold it very confidential to enhance a perfect execution. I ask for your immediate reply to my private email: mrspatriciama1@gmail.com
Feel free to call me for clearer explanations.
Best regards,

Yours sincerely.
Mrs. Patricia Mabena
Tel: +27 7341 04072

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam