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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:
  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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • ",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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • cmtakane09@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Dr.Collin Mtakane <cmtakane09@sify.com >
Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:16:16 -0700
Subject: URGENT & CONFIDENTIAL


From: Dr.Collin Mtakane.

I am Dr.Collin Mtakane, Director of Project with the South Africa Department =
of
Minerals and Energy. I am making this contact with you based on the
Committee need for an individual/company who is willing to assist us
with a solution to a money transfer.

This amount $31.5m represents the balance of the total contract Value
Executed on behalf of Department by a foreign contracting firm, which
we the officials over-invoiced deliberately, of which the actual sum
has been paid.

Should you be willing to assist us in the transaction, your share of
the sum will be 25% of the $31,500,000.00, 70% for us and 5% for taxation
and miscellaneous expenses.
To enable us commence, I will need your personal telephone/fax number.
Please send your response to cmtakane09@sify.com
I await your immediate response.
Best Regards,

Dr.Collin Mtakane

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam