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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "hundred thousand us 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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "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)
  • "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Amos Zulu" <azulu0116@googlemail.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:00:04 +0100
Subject: Compliments


Good day,

I am Amos Zulu a native of Cape Town in South Africa and I am the Director
of project implementation with the South Africa Department of Mining &
Energy Resources. First and foremost, I apologize using this medium to reach
you for a transaction/business of this magnitude, but this is due to
confidentiality and prompt access reposed on this medium.


I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation with you in the execution
of the transaction described hereunder for the benefit of all parties and
hope you will keep it as confidential, because of the nature of this
transaction. Within the Department of Mining & Natural Resources where I
work as a director of project implementation and with the cooperation of
four other top officials, we have in our possession as overdue payment bills
amounting to Twenty Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars
(US$24,500,000.00) which we want to transfer abroad with the assistance and
cooperation of a reliable foreign company/individual to receive the said
fund on our behalf or a reliable foreign non-company account to receive such
funds.

More so, we are handicapped in the circumstances, as the South Africa Civil
Service Code of Conduct does not allow us to operate offshore account hence
your importance in the whole transaction.

This amount (US$24.5m) represents the balance of the total contract value
executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign contracting firm, which we
the officials over-invoiced deliberately. Though the actual contract cost
have been paid to the original contractor, leaving the balance in the tune
of the said amount which we have in principles gotten approval to remit by
Telegraphic Transfer (T. T) to any foreign bank account you will provide by
filing in an application through the Justice Ministry here in South Africa
for the transfer of rights and privileges of the former contractor to you.

I have the authority of my partners involved to propose that should you be
willing to assist us in this transaction by way of providing the required
account in receiving these funds, your share of the entire sum will be 15%
while 75% amounting for me and my colleagues and 10% will be used to settle
taxation and other miscellaneous expenses in the course of transferring the
funds to your account.

The Transaction itself is 100% safe, on your part provided you treat it with
utmost secrecy and confidentiality. Also your area of specialization is not
a hindrance to the successful execution of this transaction.

I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint
me. Endeavour to contact me immediately, whether or not you are interested
in this deal.If you are not, it will enable me contact another Foreign
partner with similar recommendation to carry out this transaction.

I want to assure you that myself and my partners are in a position to make
the payment of this claim possible provided you can give us a very strong
assurance and guarantee that our share will be secured and Please remember
to treat this matter as very confidential matter; because we will not
comprehend with any form of exposure as we are still in active Government
Service and remember once again that time is of the essence in this
business. Please reply urgently via my email address and furnish me with
your TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS for further details.

I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation. I am available to
entertain any questions concerning the clarity of this transaction.

Yours faithfully,
Amos Zulu.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam