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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:
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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)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • "you will be given 30%" (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)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • +27726116766 (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.
  • cgahmed001@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ahmed craig" <cgahmed02@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2007 14:12:57 +0200
Subject: Very Urgent!Your Willingness To Help In Money Transfer!

FROM THE DESK OF AUDITOR GENERAL, ABSA BANK,JOHANNESBURG,SOUTH AFRICA TO THE
ATTENTION OF CEO/DIRECTOR/MANAGER BUSINESS OFFER:FUND TRANSFER

I know that this message will come to your Bulk or inbox message as a
surprise since we do not know each other before, but for purpose of
introduction, I am Mr.Ahmed Craig, of the above mentioned Bank in South
Africa.I am a citizen of South Africa by birth,a chartered accountant by
training and the auditor general of AMALGAMATED BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA(ABSA)
by profession.

There is an account opened in this bank in 1980 and since 1990, nobody has
operated on this account since 1990. After going through some old files in
the records during the last years auditing of our bank, Regarding the ethics
of our profession,I discovered that if I do not remit this money out
urgently,it would be forfeited for nothing. The owner of this account is Mr.
Elvis B.Bryan, a foreigner, and a miner at Kruger gold co., a geologist by
profession and he died since 1990 in a mine here in South Africa without
relatives or next of kin to stand as a claim/beneficiary to this man's
account/fund.

No other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it, the
account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well
that his company does not know anything about this account and the amount
involved is (USD$ 15.000,000) FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS. I am
only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved to
a local bank here, but can only be approved to any foreign account because
the money is in US dollars(foreign currency) and the former owner of the
account is a foreigner(A CANADIAN)

Mr. Elvis B.Bryan is a foreigner too. I know that this message will come to
you as a surprise as we do not know ourselves before.In order to protect our
personal interests as well as for the security of all and this fund,we will
sign A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT AND TRUST, before the commissioner of oaths
Johannesburg High Court . Please reply urgently so that I will inform you
the next step to take immediately. Send also your private telephone and fax
number including your full details should you find this offer interesting.

I want us to meet face to face to sign a binding agreement to bind us
together as partners.After our meeting then the money will be transfered
into the account particulars you will provide in your country or outside
South Afric which I presume is safe.Hence this money is transfered,I will
fly to your country or any other country which is the fund is transferred
for withdrawal, sharing and other investments.
I am contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with foreign
account and foreign beneficiary. I need your full co-operation to make this
work fine because the management is ready to approve this payment to any
foreigner, who has correct information of this account, which I will give to
you later.

If you are able and willing to handle such amount in strict confidence and
trust according to my instructions and advice for our mutual benefit,then
contact me immediately because this opportunity will never come again in my
life. I need truthful person in this business because I do not want to make
mistakes. I need your strong assurance and trust.
With my position now in the office I can transfer this money to any
foreigner's reliable account, which you can provide with assurance that this
money will be intact pending my physical arrival in your country for
sharing. I will destroy all documents related to
this transaction , immediately we receive this money,thereby leaving no
trace to any place. You can also come to discuss with me face to face after
which I will make this remittance in your presence and two of us will fly to
your country at least two days ahead of the money going into the account. I
will apply for annual leave to get visa immediately I hear from you,that you
are ready to act and receive this fund in your account.
I will use my position and influence to effect legal approvals and onward
transfer of this money to your account with appropriate clearance forms of
the ministries and foreign exchange departments.
At the conclusion of this business, you will be given 30% of the total
amount, 60% will be for me, and while 10% will be for expenses both parties
might have incurred during the process of transferring this fund.
I look forward to your earliest reply through my email
-cgahmed001@yahoo.com.
or by my Tel: +27726116766.

Yours truly,

Mr.Ahmed Craig.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam