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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "huge amount of money" (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)
  • "is 100% 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.
  • +27730528877 (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.
  • jonnylewis01@gmail.com
  • 1@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: jonnylewisa@onet.eu
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:50:00 +0200
Subject: URGENT FUND TRANSFER.CONTACT MR JONNY LEWIS@+27 73 052 8877.


URGENT FUND TRANSFER.CONTACT MR JONNY LEWIS@+27 73 052 8877.
From Mr.Jonny Lewis
Chairman of Tender Board
Committee on the award of
contracts in Department of Works
and Housing here in GLEN VISTA BRANCH,
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA.
DIRECT LINE: 0027_730528877
KINDLY REPLY ME ON EMAIL; jonnylewis01@gmail.com

ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO
URGENT BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
May I have the pleasure of introducing myself. I am Mr.Jonny Lewis, a senio=
r
staff and chairman of Tender Board Committee on the award of contracts in
Department of Works and Housing here in South Africa. I got your contact
E-mail address from an international directory on lawyers and advisers on
international business in my quest to find a trustworthy person on whom I
can have confidence for colossal international money transaction.

My aim of sending this "business proposal" to you is to solicit for your
assistance and co_operation to transfer some huge amount of money into your
account overseas.Therefore, this communication should be held in high
confidence.My colleague and I in the Department of Works and Land Affairs
wish to transfer into a safe and secured account overseas, the sum of THIRT=
Y
TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS (US$32.5M) which is over-invoiced amount
from contracts we awarded to foreign contractors who have been duly paid on
completion of their various contracts. This money right now is in a coded
account in the Reserve Bank of South Africa.

However, by virtue of our position as civil servants,we cannot acquire thes=
e
funds in our names or in the names of companies here in South Africa. I wa=
s
therefore asked by my colleagues on trust and sincerity to look for a
reliable international outfit partner abroad into whose account the sum of
US$32.5 Million will be transferred. We have agreed on the following
sharing ratio if you accept our proposal.Seventy percent (70%) for us and
Thirty percent (30%) for you, the Account owner.

My choice of you for this transaction is basically hanged on your field and
profession, hence this business proposal. If you are interested in this
deal, I will require some informations from you in order to effect the
transfer of the money.Please, be informed that we shall commence processing
of claims of payment once we receive your interest from you,and the funds
will get into your account within Five(5)working days by Telegraphic
Transfer(T.T).

Note that this transaction is 100% risk free. Do acknowledge the receipt of
this letter above and forward your reply to this E-mail address(jonnylewis0=
1@gmail.com)
or you can call me on my private phone no.+ 27-730528877.

Best Regards,
Mr.Jonny Lewis.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam