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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million british pounds" (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.
  • +27737574880 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: tito mboweni <southafricareservebank_tmboweni@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 23:18:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Very Confidentiality.


From. Governor Office.
South Africa Reserve Bank
Pretoria.
Tel+27-73-757-4880
Fax+27-11-219-7056.

Attn. VICTIMNAME.

Dear Sir,

Kindly get back to me immediately as this transaction need more attention, as a governor of reserve bank i have a power to transfer to any account oversea.

Kindly send your personal account, so that i will transfer to your account the sum of 6.5Million British Pounds.

This fund will be transfer to your account via our offshore Bank in Swiss, all you have to open account with them as a foreign contractor and the fund will be wire to your account immediately.

I will give you 400,000 pounds as your assistance.

Get back to me for quick action.

Dr. Tito Mboweni.
Governor.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam