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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:
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• 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.
  • +27734573357 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: benson zuma <bensonzuma03@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2006 05:22:05 -0800 (PST)
Subject: URGENT NEED FOR INVESTMENT


FROM Mr.BENSON ZUMA.
RECENTLY IN SOUTH AFRICA.
TEL;+27-734573357.

Dear Sir,
My name is Mr.BENSON ZUMA ; the elder son of Mr.MARTIN ZUMA of Zimbabwe.This might be a surprise to you on how I get to contact you in regard to our search for a reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential transaction, which involves a huge sum of money.

During the current war against the rich white farmers in Zimbabwe, the supports of president Robbert Mugabe decided to claim all the white owned farms to his their party members. he ordered all the white farmers in Zimbabwe to surrender all their farms to his party members and his followers.

My father is one of the best farmers in our country, and because he did not support Mugabe's idea, Mugabe's supporters invaded my father's farm and burnt everything in the farmland, killing my father and made away with all the things in our farm.

However, before his death, my father had deposited with one of the security farm in Johannesburg South Africa the sum of $20 million united State Dollars) which after his death the family decided to move to South Africa where my he had the money deposited.

We decided to contact you being overseas partner that will assist us to move this money out of South Africa because as an asylum seeker in South Africa, we are enable operate bank account or do business of any kind while in the country. We have agreed to offer you 20% of the total sum for your ssistance, 5% have been mapped out for expenses, and 75% for my family investment in your country.

So Please, if you think you can be of any assistance to us, kindly furnish me with your fax and phone numbers for easier communication. You can contact me via my phone number, Tel: 27-73-457-3357. Note that this transaction is 100% risk free and absolutely confidential for my family's sake.

Hoping to hear from you soonest.
Thanks and God bless.
Mr. BENSON ZUMA
For the family






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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam