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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.

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

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "await your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +27732496787 (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.
  • gthomas011@yahoo.it

Fraud email example:

From: "Grace Thomas" <grace_thomas01@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2006 15:32:49 +0000
Subject: From: Mrs. Grace Thomas.

From: Mrs. Grace Thomas.
No.16 Milford Road, Sandston.
Johannesburg; South Africa.
Phone: +27-73-249-6787
Alternative e-mail: gthomas011@yahoo.it

Greeting!

Probably you may be surprised to receive this letter from me hence you do
not know me personally. But for the need of introducing myself, I am Mrs.
Grace Thomas the wife of late Mr. Johnson Thomas, who was murdered during
the land reform dispute in Zimbabwe. Considering the surprise which my
letter may cause you, I want you to be rest assured that your contact was
made possible to me through the Internet business directory in Johannesburg,
hence I decided to solicit for your assistance.

Before my husband was killed, he had notified me about the sum of
US$7.6MILLION (Seven Million Six Hundred Thousand United States Dollars),
which he deposited with a private security and finance Company in
Mpumalanga, Nelspruit,South Africa. He deposited the money as personal
valuables belonging to his foreign business partner to avoid eyebrows from
the Security Company. Consequently, the money was meant for the purchases of
new machines and chemicals as he intended to relocate his farming business
to Swaziland because of the new land reform act placed upon farmers in
Zimbabwe.

The land problem occurred when the Zimbabwean President MR. ROBERT MUGABE
introduced a new Land Reform Act, which affected all the rich white farmers
and some opposition black farmers, and it resulted to killings and mob
action by Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the society. Of
which, lot of people were killed for which my husband was one of the
victims. It is against this background that, my son and I decided to escape
to South Africa where we are presently residing as Asylum seekers(Refugees).
Now I am saddled with the responsibility of seeking for a trustworthy
foreign partner who can provide me with a reliable account where this money
could be transferred. You will also help me to invest the fund into a
profitable business in your country. And for your honest and trustworthy
assistance, I am prepared to offer to you 20% of the total funds, in other
words, I can go into partnership with you for any investment carried out
with the money in your country.

Meanwhile I want you to know and understand the reason why I have decided to
transfer the fund out of South Africa to your country. In the first place, I
intended to invest the fund here in South Africa, but unfortunately, the
South African Financial laws does not permit asylum seekers to operate a
bank account or to be engaged with properties and Shares investments. And
hence I cannot operate a bank account due to my status as an asylum seeker
in South Africa, I have no other alternative than to relocate the fund to
another country where there are no such strict financial laws upon refugees.
And I hope I can be able to invest my money freely in your country.

Therefore if you are capable and willing to assist me, please do not
hesitate to contact me immediately, through my alternative e-mail at
<gthomas011@yahoo.it> or you can call me directly on my son's hand telephone
number. +27-73-249-6787. Finally, I would appreciate you treat this matter
as urgent as possible because all the modalities for the transfer of the
fund has already been made. Thanks for your mutual co-operation as we await
your urgent response.

Best Regards,

MRS.GRACE THOMAS.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam