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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:
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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "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)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • +27731327355 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: mike ncube <mikencub_04@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <mikencub02@yahoo.it>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 23:32:08 +0200
Subject: Urgent Transaction!



MR MIKE NCUBE
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA.
Direct Line: +27-73-132-7355


MONEY TRANSFER ASSISTANCE
ATTN: CEO

You may be surprised to receive this letter from me since you do not know me personally, I am Mike Ncube. The son of Mr. Williams Ncube, who was recently murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe. I got your information from the INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE, Johannesburg South Africa.

Before the death of my father, he had taken me to Johannesburg to deposit the sum of Twenty- Five Million United States Dollars ($25,000 000) in a security company as if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe. This amount was meant for the purchase of new machines and chemicals for the farms and establishment of a new farm in Swaziland. This land problem came when the President of Zimbabwe MR ROBERT MUGABE introduced a new Land Act which wholly affected the rich white and black farmers in Zimbabwe.

This resulted to the killing and mob action by the Zimbabwean war, veterans and some lunatics in the society Infect, a lot of people have been killed because of this land-reformed act of which my father was one of the victims. It is against this background that my family and I, who are currently staying in South Africa, decided to transfer my father’s money to a foreign account since the law of South Africa prohibits a refugee (asylum seeker) to open any bank account.


As a businessman, I have to entrust our future investment and our security in your custody, if you are capable to assist me and my family. As an active partner, your share in this transaction is 30% of the total sum.

I wait for your urgent reply.

Yours sincerely,


Mr. Mike Ncube
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam