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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:

• 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:
  • "await your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was sent to thousands of people)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +27835997206 (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.
  • mbeki_mbeki_chambers@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • dmbeki@teenmail.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: David Mbeki <mbeki_mbeki_chambers@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: dmbeki@teenmail.co.za
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2006 04:12:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: MR PAUL MAILFREY'S ESTATES!!!


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: mbeki_mbeki_chambers@yahoo.com

Mbeki & Mbeki Chambers

#10 Sandton Road, Johannesburg,

South Africa.

Tel:+27-835-997-206

Email: dmbeki@teenmail.co.za

Re: Claim of Late Mr Paul Malfreyt's Estates.

Dear Sir,

I am Barrister David Mbeki an attorney to Late Mr Paul Malfreyt, a national of your country who unfortunately died with his wife and three children in a plane crash of Union Transport Africaines Flight Boeing 727 in Cotonou, Benin Republic on the December 26,2003.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/

I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of his extended relatives to be his beneficiary but this has proved unsuccessful.

I am contacting you to assist in claiming his real estates and contract sum which he executed under South African Ministry of Mines and Energy before his sudden death.

The Ministry of Finance and the Finance Company where the deceased had his contract fund valued at US$17.4 million dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next fourteen official working days.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. This transaction needs absolute trust and honesty as you will promise me that you will not sit on this fund when it finally hits your account. I have decided to part you with 35% of the total funds and 50/50% share of his real estates.

I await your urgent response.

Yours Sincerely,

Barr. David Mbeki

- David Mbeki

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam