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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "dear friend" (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)
  • "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Cumala Sule" <mr_cumala@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 08:18:04 +0000
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS TRANSACTION !!!

FROM MR CUMALA
BANK OF AFRICA
OUAGADOUGOU,
BURKINA FASO.

DEAR FRIEND,

FIRST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION;THIS IS BY VIRTUE
OF ITS NATURE AS BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET.THOUGH I KNOW
THAT A TRANSACTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL MAKE ANY ONE APPREHENSIVE AND
WORRIED,BUT I AM ASSURING YOU THAT ALL WILL BE WELL AT THE END OF THE DAY.
WE HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU DUE TO THE URGENCY OF THIS TRANSACTION,AS WE
HAVE BEEN RELIABLY INFORMED OF YOUR DISCRETNESS AND ABILITY IN TRANSACTION
OF THIS NATURE.

LET ME START BY INTRODUCING MYSELF PROPERLY TO YOU.I AM ACCOUNTING MANAGER
WITH THE BANK OF AFRICA OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO. I CAME TO KNOW YOU IN MY
PRIVATE SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE THIS
CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION,WHICH INVOLVES THE TRANSFER OF HUGE SUM OF MONEY
TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT REQUIRING MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE.

THE PROPOSITION:

A FOREIGNER GERMAN ,LATE ENGR ANDREASE SCHRANER (SNR) CONTRACTOR WITH THE
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF AVIATION BURKINA FASO,UNTIL HIS DEATH IN PLANE CRASH.

BANKED WIH US AT BANK of AFRICAN OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO AND HAD A CLOSING
BALANCE AS AT THE END OF JANUARY,2000 WORTH USD7.5(SEVEN MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLAR), THE BANK NOW EXPECTS A NEXT OF KIN
AS BENEFICIARY.VALUABLE EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE BY THE BANK OF AFRICAN HERE
IN BURKINA FASO TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF THE FAMILY OR RELATIVES BUT TO
NO SUCCESS.

IT IS BECAUSE OF THE PERCEIVED POSSIBILITY OF NOT
BEING ABLE TO LOCATE ANY OF LATE ENGR. ANDREASE SCHRANER(SNR)'S NEXT OF KIN
THAT IS KNOWN TO US).THE MANAGEMENT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF OUR CHAIRMAN AND
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,THAT ARANGE HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE FUND
TO BE DECLEARED "UNCLAINMED" AND SUBSEQUENTLY BE DONATED TO THE TRUST FUND
FOR ARMS AND AMMUNITION TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE COURSE OF WAR IN AFRICA AND
THE WORLD IN
GENERAL.

I HAVE SECURE FROM THE PROBATE AN ORDER OF MADAMUS TO LOCATE ANY OF DECEASED
BENEFICIARIES,AND MORE SO I AM ASSURING YOU THAT THIS BUSINESS IS
100% RISK FREE INVOLVEMENT.YOUR SHARE STAY WITH YOU WHILE THE REST BE FOR
MYSELF AND FOR INVESTMENT IN YOUR COUNTRY.

IF THIS PROPOSAL IS ACCEPTABLE BY YOU DO NOT MAKE UNDUE ADVANTAGE OF THE
TRUST I HAVE BESTOWED IN YOU AND YOUR COMPANY,THEN KINDLY GET TO ME
IMMEDIATELY VIA MY TELEPHONE NUMBER

PLEASE FURNISH ME WITH YOUR MOST CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE,FAX NUMBERS SO THAT
I CAN USE THIS INFORMATION TO APPLY FOR THE RELEASE AND SUBSEQUENT
TRANSFER OF THE FUND IN YOUR FAVOUR.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED CORPORATION.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR CUMALA.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam