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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:
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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:
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "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 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.
  • tm202@37.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Tom Weba" <tm202@37.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2006 09:44:40 +0200
Subject: GOOD DAY


FROM: Mr. Tom Weba
Email: tm202@37.com

HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL
Greetings,

This mail may come to you as a surprise but I plead with you to
patiently read through it before making a decision whether to
co-operate with me or not.
l wish to solicit for your assistance and co-operation in this financial
transaction which l strongly believe will be of mutual benefit to both
of us.

I am Tom Weba, a Senior Investment Officer with the Johannesburg
branch of a leading bank in South Africa. l and two of my colleagues
wish to seek your assistance in the transfer of some huge sum of
money into a foreign bank account for future investment

This money; US$15.5 Million (Fifteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars), was deposited in a fixed deposit account in the
bank six years ago by an American national, who was into Gold mining
and other precious stones. The length of time for the maturity of
the fixed deposit was five years which expired at the end of last year.
Incidentally, Mr. Jeff Stevens, who was the account owner, died of shock
and heart failure as a result of events of the September 11th bombing
of the World Trade Centre in America (he was in a nearby building and
witnessed all the happening life), and he left nobody as next-of-kin to
claim this money.
All efforts made to trace any known relations of his proved abortive,
and no one has so far written our bank in this regard. Because I was
his investment Adviser at the time, he confided much in me, and this
is why I know so much about this fund.

All modalities for the successful transfer of this money into an offshore
bank account have been put in place and we are looking for a trust
worthy foreign partner into whose bank account this fund would be
remitted to and it is in this regard that my colleagues have mandated
me to provide a partner who will co-operate with us. We have agreed
to compensate you with 30% of the total amount if you should accept
to assist and be a part of us.

lf you are interested in giving us the required assistance, kindly
reply this mail stating your Telephone/Fax numbers for further details.
You may please contact me only through e-mail (as indicated above)
and my fax: +27-11-5075346. (Attention: Mr. Tom Weba).

l am looking forward to a favorable reply from you soon. Feel
free to ask any question in this regard.

Yours Faithfully,

Tom Weba.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam