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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:

• 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)
  • "transaction is 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.
  
• 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.
  • +27735149309 (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.
  • mrselizabethgarba@personal.ro

Fraud email example:

From: "mrs elizabeth garba" <mrselizagarba301@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 1 May 2007 11:45:23 +0200
Subject: We guess you are doing fine?


CAMBRIDGE HOUSE #I3 RANDPARK RIDGE,
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA.
TEL:+27-73-514-9309.
REPLY ME ON THIS mrselizabethgarba@personal.ro

A PLEAd FOR ASSISTANCE

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please forgive me if this message comes to you as a surprise I was
divinely inspired to pick your name among other names found in the Internet
database, after series of prayers and God's direction I am Mrs. Elizabeth
Garba, the wife of Mr. Pedro Garba,who was recently murdered in the land
dispute in Zimbabwe. I got your contact through network online hence decided
to write you.Before the death of my Husband, he had taken me to Johannesburg
to deposit the sum of US$20Million(Twenty Million United States Dollars), in
one the private security company, as if he foresaw the looming danger in
Zimbabwe. This money was deposited in a box as germ stones to avoid much
demurrage from Security Company. This amount was meant for the purchase of
new machines and chemicals for the farms and established of new farm in
Swaziland.

This land problem came when Zimbabwean President Mr. Robert Mugabe
introduce a new Land Act reform which wholly affected the rich white farmers
and some few blacks farmers. And this resulted to the killing and mob action
by Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the society.

In fact, alot of people was killed because of this land reformed Act for
which my Husband was one of the victim. You can find out more by
clicking here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1653815.stm
It is against this background that, I and my my only son George who are
currentlystaying in South Africa decided to transfer my Husband` s money to
foreign account since the law of South Africa prohibit a refugee (asylum
seeker) to open any bank account or to be involved in any financial
transaction throughout the territorialzone South Africa. As the only wife of
my Husband , I and my Son(George)are saddle with the responsibility of
seeking a genuine foreign account where this money could be transferred
without the knowledge of my government who are bent
from taking everything we have got.

The South African government seems to be playing along with them. We are
faced with the dilemma of investing this amount of money in South Africa
for fear of going through the same experience in future since both
countries have similar political history.

Moreover, the South African Foreign Exchange policy does not allow such
investmentas an asylum seeker. As a businessman, who I have to entrust my
future and of my family in his hands, We must let you know that this
transaction is risk free.
If you accept to assist us, all we want you to do for us is to make
arrangements and come to Johannesburg South Africa, so that you can open a
non-resident account which will aid us in transferring the money into any
account you will nominate overseas.

This money we intend to use for investment. We have two options for you,
firstly you can choose to have certain percentage of the money for
nominating your account forthis transaction. Or you can go into partnership
with me for the proper profitable investment of the money in your country.
Whichever the options you want, feel free to notify me I have also mapped
out 5% of this money for all kinds of expenses incurred in the process of
this transaction. If you do not prefer apartnership we are willing to give
you 25% of the money while the remaining 70% will be for my investment in
your country.

Contact my son George with the above telephone E-mail or Telephone
number while we implore you to maintain the absolute secrecy required in
this
transaction.

Yours Faithfully,

MRS ELIZABETH GARBA.
(For the Family)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam