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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (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.
  • +27735136063 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Mark Sipho" <marksphoatnwmfqc@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 04 Jan 2007 09:21:51 -0100
Subject: Thanks For Your Understanding

Kind Attention,

I know that this message will come to you as a surprise since we don t know
each other before, but for purpose of introduction, I am Mr. M. Sipho Deputy
Director of OLD-MUTUAL BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA (O.M.B.SA). There is an
account opened in this bank in 1980 and since 1990 nobody has operated on
this account again.

After going through some old files in the records, 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. EDWARD B. SLIM a foreigner, and a miner at
Kruger gold co., a geologist by profession and he died since 1990. 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
(USD20.5M) Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand 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 and the former owner of the account is Mr. EDWARD
B. SLIM is a foreigner too.
I know that this message will come to you as a surprise as we don't know
ourselves before. We will sign an agreement, but be sure that it is real and
a genuine business. Please reply urgently so that I will inform you the next
step to take immediately. Send also your private telephone and fax number
including the full details of the account to be used for the deposit.

AS Soon as the fund gets into your account I will fly to your country for
withdrawal and 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
immediately, if you are able and with capability to handle such amount in
strict confidence and trust according to my instructions and advice for our
mutual benefit because this opportunity will never come again in my life. I
need truthful person in this business because I don't want to make mistake 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 of transaction immediately we receive this
money leaving no trace to any place! . You can also come to discuss with me
face to face after whom 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 20% of the total
amount, 75% will be for me, and while 5% will be for expenses both parties
might have incurred during the process of transferring. I look forward to
your earliest reply through my email yours truly.
Mr. M.Sipho
(Deputy Director- Old Mutual Bank)
Email: marksipho@remittancedept-oldmutual.com.
Tel+ 27 73 513 6063

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam