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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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:

• 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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "demurrage " (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. )
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "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)
  • "is 100% risk-free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "robert mugabe" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • alex_moloto@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: bassie duke <bassieduke10@msn.com>
Reply-To: <alex_moloto@yahoo.it>
Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2009 13:04:18 +0000
Subject: Re: Private & Confidential



From: Mr. Alex Moloto.
Tel: 0027-74182 6073.
Fax : 278651 26012.
Subject: Re: Private & Confidential.
Dear Sir/Madam,

You may be surprise to receive this letter from me since you don't know me personally but please take this mail into consideration as me and my family really needs your assistance and we contacted you with good intentions.

I am Alex Moloto, the son of Honorable, Dr. Kenneth Moloto who was recently murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe. I got your contact through Network on line in my search for a reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential transaction which involves a transfer of fund to a foreign account and I decided to write you, my late father was amongst the few black Zimbabwean rich farmers murdered in cold blood by the agents of the ruling government of President Robert Mugabe for his alleged support and sympathy for the Zimbabwean opposition party controlled by the white minority.

Before his death, he had taken to Johannesburg - South Africa to deposit the sum of US$ 10.5 Million (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) with a Security Company which I will inform you in due course as if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe. The money was deposited in a box as "Valuables" to avoid much demurrage from the Security Company. This money was embarked from the purchase of new machinery and chemical for farms and the establishment of new farms in Lesotho and Swaziland.

This land problem arose when President Robert Mugabe introduced a new Land act that wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few blacks who vehemently condemned the "modus operandi" adopted by the Government. This resulted to rampant killing and mob action by the war veterans and some political thugs. Precisely, more than Eighty-one (81) people have so far been killed. Heads of governments from the west, especially

Britain and United States of America have voiced their condemnation of Mugabe's plan. Subsequently, South African development Community (S.A.D.C) has continuously supported Mugabe's new land act, it is against this background that I and my family who are currently residing in South Africa have decided to transfer my Father's money into a foreign account. As the eldest son of my Father, I am saddled with the responsibility of seeking a genuine foreign account where this money could be transferred without the knowledge of my government who are tactically freezing our family wealth and South Africa Government seems to be playing along with them. I am faced with the dilemma of investing this money in South Africa for fear of encountering the same experience in future since both countries have almost the same political history.

More so, the South African Foreign Exchange policy does not allow such investment hence we are seeking for "Asylum". As a business person whom I am about to entrust my future and that of my family into his/her hands, I must let you know that this transaction is 100% risk-free and the nature of your business does not necessarily matter. For your assistance, we are offering you 20% of the total sum, 75% for me and my family while 5% will be mapped out for any expenses we may incur during the course of this transaction. We wish to invest our part of the money on commercial property based on your advice.
Most importantly, it would be appreciated if you could also help us with advices and direction on investing into profitable/lucrative ventures in your country for an additional 3%. However, this is optional, and if it is not convenient for you to further assist us with investing the money, we can end our cooperation after you make available to us our part of the money.
Finally, all we demand from you is assurance that you will not sit on this money when it finally gets to your personal or company's account in your country. If this proposal is acceptable by you, please confirm your interest by replying immediately through this email address alex_moloto@yahoo.it

You can view the websites below for more understanding regarding what has been happening in my country Zimbabwe.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/918781.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/715001.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1063785.stm

Best Regards

Mr. Alex Moloto.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam