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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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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "top secret" (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)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +27733685461 (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.
  • tendabiti@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: tendabiti@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:29:54 -0800
Subject: FROM MR.TENDA BITI


FROM MR.TENDA BITI

DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS $ MINING

CAPE TOWN

SOUTH AFRICA

TELL: +27 73 368 54 61

EMAIL: tendabiti@yahoo.com



ATTN: DEAREST FRIEND,



STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL & URGENT.



I AM MR.TENDA BITI FROM CAPE TOWN IN SOUTH AFRICA AND I'M AN EXECUTIVE
ACCOUNTANT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS $ MINING.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I APOLOGIZE FOR USING THIS MEDIUM TO REACH YOU IN A
TRANSACTION/BUSINESS OF THIS MAGNITUDE, BUT THIS IS DUE TO CONFIDENTIALITY
AND PROMPT ACCESS REPOSED ON THIS MEDIUM THAT I DECIDED TO SEEK A
CONFIDENTIAL CO-OPERATION WITH YOU IN THE EXECUTION OF THE DEAL DESCRIBED
HEREUNDER FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL PARTIES AND HOPE YOU WILL KEEP IT AS A TOP
SECRET BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THIS TRANSACTION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF
MINERALS & MINING WHERE I WORK AS THE EXECUTIVE ACCOUNTANT



I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION AS OVERDUE PAYMENT BILLS TOTALING SEVEN MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S. DOLLARS *(US$7.5MILLION)* WHICH I WANT TO TRANSFER
ABROAD WITH THE ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION OF A FOREIGN COMPANY/INDIVIDUAL
TO RECEIVE THE SAID FUND ON MY BEHALF OR A RELIABLE FOREIGN NON-COMPANY
ACCOUNT TO RECEIVE SUCH FUNDS.



MORE SO, I AM HANDICAPPED IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AS THE SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL
SERVICE CODE OF CONDUCT DOES NOT ALLOW US TO OPERATE OFFSHORE ACCOUNT HENCE
YOUR IMPORTANCE IN THE WHOLE TRANSACTION. THIS AMOUNT OF
*(US$7.5MILLION)*REPRESENTS THE BALANCE OF THE TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE
EXECUTED ON BY A FOREIGN
CONTRACTING FIRM IN OUR DEPARTMENT, 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. I HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO PROPOSE THAT SHOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ASSIST ME IN THIS
TRANSACTION, YOUR SHARE OF THE SUM WILL BE *20% *OF THE *US$7.5 MILLION*, *
70%* FOR ME AND *10%* FOR TAXATION AND MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES. THE BUSINESS
ITSELF IS 100% SAFE AND RISK FREE 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.



ENDEAVOR TO CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY THROUGH MY PRIVATE E-MAIL ADDRES: -
tendabiti@yahoo.com WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL. IF YOU
ARE NOT, IT WILL ENABLE ME SCOUT FOR ANOTHER FOREIGN PARTNER TO CARRY OUT
THIS DEAL. I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT I AM IN POSITION TO MAKE THE PAYMENT OF
THIS CLAIM POSSIBLE PROVIDED YOU CAN GIVE ME A VERY STRONG ASSURANCE AND
GUARANTEE THAT MY SHARE WILL BE SECURED AND PLEASE REMEMBER TO TREAT THIS
ISSUE AS VERY CONFIDENTIAL MATTER, BECAUSE WE WILL NOT COMPREHEND WITH ANY
FORM OF EXPOSURE AS AM STILL IN ACTIVE GOVERNMENT SERVICE AND REMEMBER ONCE
AGAIN THAT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE IN THIS BUSINESS.



I WAIT IN ANTICIPATION OF YOUR FULLEST CO-OPERATION.



YOURS FAITHFULLY,

MR.TENDA BITI

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam