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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
  (+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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
• 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.
  • johnnkosi@ubbi.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: nkojohn@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2007 03:23:43 +0200
Subject: MR.JOHN NKOSI

FROM MR.JOHN NKOSI

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

Tel:-0027-76-060-9558,

Fax:-+0027-86-614-8324


Dear Sir/Madam,

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

I am John Nkosi (FCAA), thechief accountant of African Development Bank Of South African (ADBSA).There is an online account opened in this bank in 1999 and since 2006nobody has operated this online account. After going through some oldfiles in the records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money outurgently it would be forfeited for nothing. The owner of this account isMr. Smith B. Zafer, a foreigner, and a miner at Kruger Gold Company. HeWas a Geologist by profession and he died since 2000. No other personknows about this account or anything concerning it, the account has noother beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that thisCompany does not know anything about this account and the money involvedis Fifteen Million United States Dollars (US$ 15 Million). You are theonly person that I have contacted in this Business; so Please replyurgently so that I will inform you the next step to take immediately.Send also your telephone and fax .
Meanwhile, I am contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with a foreign account as abeneficiary. I need your full co-operation to make this work finebecause the management is ready to approve this payment to any foreignerwho has correct information of this account, which I will give to you assoon as you indicate your sincerity to co-operate with me, andcapability to handle such amount in strict confidence and trust,according to my instruction and advice, for our mutual benefit becausethis opportunity may never come again in my life. I need a truthful andGod fearing person in this Business because I don’t want to make amistake so I need your strong assurance and trust. With my position inthe office I don’t want anything that will jeopardize my job so I advicethat we should make secrecy and confidentiality our primary workingcondition, bearing in mind that I am a public servant. I will also usemy position and influence to effect legal approvals and onward transferof this money to your account
with appropriate clearance forms from theministries and foreign exchange department. I will compensate youadequately depending on the terms we shall agree on subsequently. Youcan get back to me on this email address: johnnkosi@ubbi.com
I lookforward to your earliest reply.

Yours sincerely,

JOHNNKOSI

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam