419 scam: "Alan Deng" <sttytyhsj@att.net> Family Assistance Needed

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "please indicate your interest" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "requires utmost trust" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "dengfamily@gala.net" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a orphan scam.
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.
- +27739295995 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Alan Deng" <sttytyhsj@att.net>
Reply-To: <dengfamily@gala.net>
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:38:30 +0200
Subject: Family Assistance Needed

From: Mr. Alan Deng
Johannesburg, South Africa.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Permit me to introduce this business proposal assistance to you. My name is Alan Deng, the Eldest son Late Lt. Gen. Dominic Deng. My Father died in a sabotaged plane crash along side with my mother and other Senior Military Officials. You can read the sad story at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7380412.stm

I got your contact information from South Africa Online Business & Investment Solution during the process of searching for a reliable business partner to assist my family to transfer and invest the sum of US$24 Million, into your company or private account in your country; hence I decided to write you. Originally, this money was mapped out to purchase Arms for the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) military wing, as a result of decades of war in my country. As the news of the peace agreement reaches my father while he was in South Africa for the Arms procurement, he took advantage of the opportunity and deposit the money as family valuable in a security company in South Africa.

After depositing the money, he came back and notify me about the money before his death. Due to several threats from the incumbent president, Omar Al-Bashir who has denied any Government involvement in master minding the death of my father and other officials, I and my family have no choice than to escape from our country to South Africa as POLITICAL ASYLUM SEEKERS. Upon our arrival in South Africa, we realize that the financial policy of this country does not permit us certain financial rights to access such huge amount of money; this is why I seek your assistance to transfer this money out of South Africa.

If you accept to assist us in this transaction, please indicate your interest by contacting me via this email: dengfamily@gala.net or you can call me on this telephone number: +27 73 9295995 for more details. Also send your full name and private telephone number, and we can take it from there. We are willing to offer you 30% of the total money for your assistance in this venture while the remaining will be for my family investment in your country. This offer is open for negotiation. Do remember that this transaction requires utmost trust and confidentiality.

Thanks in anticipation for your co-operation and God Bless.

Yours Truly,
Alan Deng
(For The Family)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam