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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "security company in holland" (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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • "trunk box" (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)
  • "trunk boxes" (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)
  • "million 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" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• 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.
  • +27741105754 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Donald Peter <donald_peter7@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: donald_peter77@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:48:17 -0800 (PST)
Subject: VERY URGENT.



Attn:

Dear Sir,

I am Mr. Donald Peter , deputy senior regional manager at BOE BANK in Johannesburg South Africa. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On June 6, 2000, Mr. Barry Kelly made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for forty-eight months, (being four years) valued at US fourty Million Dollars in my branch.Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his employers, that Mr. Barry Kelly died from tsunami on his holidays in Thailand 26 December 2004.
On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Barry Kelly did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of US fourty Million Dollars has carefully been moved out of my bank to a security company for safekeeping.

No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to South African Law, at the expiration of (three) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the South African Government if nobody applies to claim the fund. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to stand in as the owner of the money. I deposited it in consignments (two trunk boxes) with a finance and security company in
Holland,Amsterdam.Though the security company does not know the contents of the consignments as I tagged them to be photographic materials for export. I am writing you because I as a public servant (Manager with the bank), I cannot operate a foreign account or have an account that is more than 1 Million Dollars.

I want to present you as the owner of the trunk boxes in the security company so you can be able to claim them with the help of my attorney. This is simple. I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the Attorney will prepare the necessary documents which will put you in place as the owner of the boxes. The money will be moved out for us to share in the ratio of 55% for me,40% for you and 5% for any expenses that will be incurred during the course of this transaction. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by the Attorney and this will guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.

If you are interested, please reply immediately via my email address upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details that will help you understand the transaction. Please observe utmost confidentiality, and be rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share into any profitable business in your country.

Do send me your private/mobile telephone fax number so that we can have a smooth communication.

Awaiting your urgent reply

Thanks and regards.
Donald Peter.

Direct Tel:+27741105754


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam