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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "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)
  • "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.
  • +27732552102 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Clifford Mugeri" <cmugeri10@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: cmugeri@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 06 Sep 2006 19:53:05 +0200
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS TRANSACTION.

TEL.+27 73 255 2102.

Dear sir,

My name is Mr Clifford Mugeri, I am a senior government official in the
department of works and housing of the Republic of South Africa. A reliable
friend of mine who assured me of your reliability and trust in handling
official matters gave your contact to me. Based on this introduction, I have
the same view of mutual understanding and trust that you will be reliable
and capable enough to assist me in this project, but pending when I hear
from you particularly.

I was the chairman of the board in charge of the award, execution and
supervision of all contracts in the department of works and Housing
ministry. In 1998, I personally monitored and supervised the awardof
contract for the supply of building materials and construction of ultra
modern shopping complexes and low cost housing units in the Eastern Cape,
North and East gate of the Natal province.

Myself and two of my colleagues, serving in the board, deliberately inflated
and over invoiced the contract sum, leaving an excess of US$60,500,000.00
(Sixty million five hundred thousand united states dollars). At the
completion of the contract, the real contract sum was paid to the original
contractor, leaving the excess, which we reported to the federal Government
that it belonged to the subcontractor that handled part of the original
contract. But the company we submitted as the beneficiary was a non-existing
foreign company, which was a purported attempt by us to divert the money for
our private use.

Right now this amount is due for payment and is floating in the treasury not
attached to anyone. We are only three people who know the origin of this
fund. But we cannot claim it by ourselves therefore we are looking for a
trustworthy foreign company /individual whose name we can use to claim the
money and subsequently transfer the money to any account that may be
furnished, with whom we will share the money, that is why we contacted you
for assistance.

This is strictly a business deal, but it is 100% risk free and secure as we
are going to use our official positions to source all necessary approvals
legitimizing the contract as genuinely executed by you, and copies of the
approval documents will be sent to you before the transfer as proof of
origin of transfer, proving the funds to be clean and free of any illicit
trade, drug and money laundering. All necessary arrangement has been put in
place in all relevant departments for immediate approval of this payment
once any account is submitted.

For your co-operation, we have agreed to give to you 25 % of the entire
amount on conclusion of the transaction, 72% will be kept for three of us
for investment in your country while 3% will be used to settle for any
miscellaneous expenditure incurred in the process of transfer. Please if you
are interested in this proposal, I want you to respond immediately on the
above E-mail address for further information and instruction on how to
proceed. This transaction is expected to be completed within 21 working days
from the date of receipt of the account information where the money will be
transferred.

Thank you for your anticipated co-operation Urgent reply awaited.

Best Regards,

MR CLIFFORD MUGERI.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam