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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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 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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • johancampher@excite.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Johan Campher" <campherjohan@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 22:12:33 +0100
Subject: I expect your rapid response.


*FROM THE DESK OF:
MR.JOHAN CAMPHER.
BRANCH MANAGER,
FIRST NATIONAL BANK.
PRETORIA SOUTH AFRICA.*

DEAR FRIEND,

Greetings to you together with the rest of your family. May God
perfect you a peacefully & prosperous holy year season both now and
forever. I am Johan Campher, the Branch manager of First National
Bank in Pretoria, South Africa. A foreign consultant/Contractor with
the Ministry of Solid Minerals here in South Africa opened a year
fixed deposit account of [$25.000.000.00USD] Twenty Five Million U.S
Dollars with my bank. Some months after he opened the account with
us, he died during a mining explosion in Pretoria. Before his death
on 27th June 2003, I have developed a good relationship with him.

However, we met in a social club annual end of the year party in
December 2002 and I introduced him to my bank where he opened a fixed
deposit account on 5th February 2003, but unfortunately, he did not
disclose any of his next of kin or heir as at the time of opening the
account and my entire attempt in locating any of his relations proved
abortive.

A friend who was formally residing in your country gave me your
contact, though he did not know about this transaction because I told
him that one of my customers in the bank wants to invest in your
country and needed someone that is trustworthy to lead him through.
Now, I am contacting you as a foreigner, for you to stand as the next
of kin to the deceased in repatriating the money he left behind,
before it gets confiscated as our bank is about to declare the
account unserviceable.

I will be very grateful if you give me your consent and cooperation,
because this transaction is 100% risk free and will be executed under
a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the
law. Meanhile I have concluded every arrangement with a classmate of
mine who is a renowned lawyer and very much-versed in codicils and
will matters. All the information needed and every vital document in
my possession regarding this transaction has been handed over to him,
to enable him acquire the legal documents, which will confer on you
the right over the fund.

More so,you not being a relation to the deceased is not an issue
here. All that we require, is your honesty and cooperation to enable
us seeing this deal through. Upon the completion of this transaction,
you will be entitled to 30 % of the total sum, hence the balance of
70% will be shared among myself, the account officer of the deceased
and the lawyer. Be informed that the process of our bank releasing
the fund will not exceed five working days.

Our reason of given you 30% is to motivate you and also enable you
feel satisfied at the end of this transaction. Please indicate your
interest by responding through my private e-mail address:
<johancampher@excite.com> so that I will give you more information and
also furnish you with all the documents relating to this transaction.
My plan is to invest my own share in Real Estate and Stock in your
country.

Note that this transaction must not be disclosed to a third party.
This is necessary to avoid disclosure that may jeopardize this golden
opportunity and also my official position. May God bless you and
preserve our friendship in good faith through this transaction.

I expect your rapid response.

Best Regard,
*Mr.Johan Campher*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam