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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.

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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 deposit" (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)
  • "accredited attorney" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• 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.
  • +27723538170 (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.
  • tony_golftour1960@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Smith Attorneys <nico_audit@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: tony_golftour1960@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2007 10:03:29 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Joint Partnership Proposal



FROM: TONY SMITH
(B.Proc. L.L.B. UNIN)
SMITH PROKUREURS / ATTORNEYS
TEL: +27-7-235-38170 (DIRECT) Fax: +27-8-660-SMITH (76484)
Email: tony_golftour1960@yahoo.co.uk


ATTN: THE MANAGING DIRECTOR.

Subject: Joint Partnership Proposal

This mail may come to you as a surprise but I plead with you to Patiently read through it. I am Tony N. Smith, a solicitor at law and the personal attorney to a national of your country, who was an Oil consultant/contractor with the South African Mining Corporation, (Name deliberately with held for now) before his death, he made a numbered time (Fixed)Deposit for Twelve Calendar months, valued at US$16,500,000.00 (Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) in a Reputable Bank in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, in the Republic of South Africa.

On October 9, 2005, My client, his wife and their two children were involved in a car accident along Pretoria to Johannesburg highWay South Africa. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my client extended relatives which has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposit were lodged. Particularly, The investigation Department of the bank where the deceased had an account valued US$16,500,000.00 (Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars). Have issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated after end of this financial year. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over a year now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same citizenship with him, so that the proceeds of this account valued at $16.5 million dollars can be paid to you and then you and me can share the money.60% to me and 30% to you, while 10% is for expenses. I have all necessary Information
that can be used to back up any claim we may make. This money (US$16,500,000.00) is still lying in the Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. And according to Laws of Republic of South Africa, at the expiration of 5 (five) Years, the money will revert to the ownership of The South African Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. There is no risk at all as I will do all the paperwork for this transaction and my position as personal accredited attorney officer to the deceased, guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested in giving the required assistance, kindly contact me immediately and provide me with your private telephone and fax number for easy access to communications.

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

Yours Faithfully,

TONY N SMITH
(B.Proc. L.L.B. UNIN)
TEL: +27-7-235-38170 (DIRECT)
Fax: +27-8-660-SMITH (76484)
Email: tony_golftour1960@yahoo.co.uk

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam