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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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 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.
  • +27733119802 (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.
  • collinsmarawa@hotmail.com
  • marawa@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "collinsmarawa" <collinsmarawa@terra.com.mx>
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2006 00:48:05 -0600
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL


FROM THE DESK OF COLLINS MARAWA
DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF AUDIT AND ACCOUNT
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA
DIRECT TEL NO.: + 27 73 311 9802
E-MAIL:collinsmarawa@hotmail.com

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL


ATTN: SIR/MADAM,


WITH DUE HONOUR AND RESPECT, I AM R.COLLINS MARAWA THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF AUDIT AND ACCOUNT UNIT, FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT OF FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA. I GOT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS THROUGH THE SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU TO ACT AS THE ORIGINAL BENEFICIAL ON A 100% RISK FREE BUSINESS TRANSACTION. HOWEVER WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE UNCONVENTIONAL WAY WE GOT IN TOUCH WITH YOU.

DURING OUR AUDITING AND INVESTIGATIONS IN THIS BANK, MY DEPARTMENT CAME ACROSS THE SUM OF TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$12,500,000.00) ONLY BELONGING TO AN AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSMAN MR MORRIS THOMPSON WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS WIFE THE NEXT OF KIN AND THE ONLY DAUGHTER IN THE FEBUARY 4TH, 2000 AIR PLANE CRASH, YOU CAN CONFIRM FROM THIS WEBSITE http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/


BEFORE OUR DISCOVERY OF THIS DEVELOPMENT THERE WAS NO TRACE OF CLAIM FROM ANY PERSON, AS THE FUNDS REMAINS DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK SINCE YEAR 2000. ALTHOUGH,I KEEP THIS INFORMATION SECRET WITHIN MY JURISDICTION TO
ENABLE US PUT CLAIMS AND TRANSFER THE SAID AMOUNT THROUGH A TRUSTWORTHY FRIEND OVERSEAS WHOM WE SHALL PRESENT TO THE BANK AS THE BONAFIDE NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE DECEASED FOR A PROFITABLE AND SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.

MEANWHILE, ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS TO PUT CLAIMS AS THE BONAFIDE NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE DECEASED TO GET THE REQUIRED APPROVAL AND TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE THE DIRECTIVES AND THE NEEDED INFORMATION WILL BE RELAYED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH US IN THIS BUSINESS OF MUTUAL BENEFIT. IN FACT, WE WOULD HAVE DONE THIS DEAL ALONE BUT AS CIVIL SERVANTS WE ARE NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT AND BEEN STAFFS OF THE BANK WE CAN’T TRANSFER CUSTOMERS FUNDS INTO OUR PERSONAL ACCOUNTS HENCE THE IMPORTANTS OF A FOREIGN PARTNER TO ACT AS THE NEXT- OF- KIN TO THE DECEASE.

ON CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ENTILTLED TO 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION 10% OF THE TOTAL SUM WILL BE USED TO REINBURSE EXPENSES THAT MIGHT ARISE FROM TELEPHONE BILLS AND OTHER EXPENSES DURING THE TRANSACTION, WHILE 60% WILL BE FOR ME AND MY PARTNERS HERE.

PLEASE I WOULD ADVICED THAT YOU KEEP THIS PROPOSAL CONFIDENTIAL AS WE ARE STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICE AND INTEND TO RETIRE FROM SERVICES AFTER WE CONCLUDE THIS PROJECT WITH YOU. I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THIS BANK UNTIL YOU CONFIRM THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT. WE SHALL THEN COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGES PREVIOUSLY INDICATED AND FOR INVESTMENT VENTURE IN YOUR COUNTRY.

ALL OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST TO WORK WITH US. I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE VIA MY CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER AND MY PERSONAL E-MAIL ADDRESS (collins marawa@hotmail.com). IF YOU ARE INTERESTED SO THAT MORE DETAILS COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU.

THANK YOU AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR. COLLINS MARAWA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam