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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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)
• 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.
  • +27827656212 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: josephdube@walla.com
Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2006 22:13:55 +0200
Subject: important.


URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL.
PHONE; +27-82-7656-212.
FAX; +27-11-5075-774.

Dear,

I am a senior accountant with the federal ministry of aviation in South Africa. I got your contact s from South African chamber of commence.

We want you to assist us in transferring the sum of USD$27.5M (twenty seven million five hundred thousand united states dollars) out of South Africa. This money came from contract over invoicing and inflation of contract sum. I became the chief accountant of my ministry not long ago.
When I assumed office I discovered this money floating in my ministry's account. My investigation disclosed that the money was meant for foreign contractors who did some work in my ministry in the past. These foreign contractors have since been paid in full but this money still remains as a debt in our account books.

I have decided to secretly transfer this money out of my country and to convert this money for my private use. The safest way of doing this is to transfer this money overseas on the pretext that it is being paid to contractors that are being owed by my ministry. The money will be sent to you in the guise that you did some contract jobs in my ministry. We will apply for and secure government approvals for the transfer.

Requirements:
1). A good bank account where this money could be transferred, this bank account could be in your country or any other country provided that government tax on transferred fund is reasonable.

2). An undertaking from you that you will not elope with this fund when transferred to your account.

3). Most importantly you must guarantee to keep this business secret.

After the money is transferred to a bank account you will provide, you will receive 10%, 85% will be for me and my partners while 5% will be set aside for any expenses that maybe incurred by either you or us.

Duration:
It may take us about 7 to 14 days from the day we receive a bank account from you to finish this business depending on your level of co-operation. I will give you full details when I receive your response.

I wait for your response.

Best regards

Joseph Dube (MR)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam