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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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.
  • +27730528702 (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.
  • mich_khumalo@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "michael khumalo" <michaelkhuma10@msn.com>
Reply-To: mich_khumalo@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 20:32:49 +0000
Subject: ATTENTION

FROM: MR. Michael Khumalo
TEL:+27 730528702
FAX:+27 112197208
EMAIL:mich_khumalo@yahoo.com

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Michael Khumalo, a native of Cape Town in South Africa
and Iam an executive Accountant with the South Africa
Department of Mining & Natural Resources. First and
foremost, I apologised using this medium to reach you for a
transaction/business of this magnitude, but this is due to
confidentiality and prompt access reposed on this medium.

Be informed that a member of the South Africa Export
Promotion Council(SEPC) who was at the Government
delegation to your country during a trade exhibition gave your
enviable particulars to me. I have decided to seek a confidential
co-operation with you in the execution of the deal described
hereunder forthe benefit of all parties and hope you will
keep it as atop secret because of the nature of this
transaction.

Within the Department of Mining & Natural Resources where I
work as an Executive Accountant and with the co-operation
of two other top officials,we have in our possession as
overdue payment bills totalling Twenty-Eight Million,
Five Hundred Thousand U. S. Dollars which we want to
transfer abroad with the assistance and co-operation of
a foreign company/individual to receive the said funds
on our behalf or a reliable foreign non-company account
to receive such funds. More so,we are handicapped in the
circumstances, as the South Africa Civil Service Code of
Conduct does not allow us to operate offshore accounthence
your importance in the whole transaction.

This amount Twenty-Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand
U.S. Dollars represents the balance of the total contract
value executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign
contracting firm, 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 which we have in
principles got approval to remit by Telegraphic Transfer
(T.T) to any foreign bank account you will provide by
filing in an application through the Justice Ministry here
in South Africa for the transfer of rights and privileges
of the former contractor to you.

I have the authority of my partners involved to discuss on
the modalities of sharing with you. Your share of the sum
will be 25% of the Twenty-Eight Million, Five Hundred
Thousand U. S. Dollars, 70% for us and 5% for taxation and
miscellaneous expenses. The business itself is 100% safe,on
your part provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and
confidentiality.Also, your area of specialisation 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.

Endeavour to contact me immediately through my
Telephone::+27 730528702,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 me
and my partners are in a position to make the payment of
this claim possible provided you can give us a very strong
assurance and guarantee that our share will be secured and
please remember to treat this matter as very confidential
matter, because we will not comprehend with any form of
exposure as we are 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 to
entertain any questions concerning the clarity of this
transaction.

Yours faithfully,

Michael Khumalo

NOTE BELOW:PLEASE REPLY THIS EMAIL
TO,,,,,:mich_khumalo@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam