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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• 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.
  • +27732665541 (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.
  • e-mail-chris_2006thompson@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: chris_2006thompson@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 16 May 2006 07:40:35 +0200
Subject: RE: TRANSFER OF US$25.5M FOR INVESTMENT.

ATTN: MR. PRESIDENT/CEO
FROM: MR. CHRIS THOMPSON.
DIRECTOR, DELIVERY/OPERATIONS
PINACLE SECURITIES, SOUTH AFRICA.
TEL: +27-73-2665541.
e-Mail-chris_2006thompson@yahoo.com


RE: TRANSFER OF US$25.5M FOR INVESTMENT.

I am Mr. Chris Thompson, the Director of Delivery/Operations Pinnacle Securities, South Africa. Our firm is a security company of high repute with years of outstanding service to the people of Africa especially top government officials and military leaders here in Africa.

I have resolved to contact you through this medium based on business proposal that will be of mutual benefit to both of us. I have not discussed this transaction with anybody because it is of top secret.

To be explicit and straight to the point. Some time early 1997, a reputable client of ours deposited a consignment in our company's vault for safe keeping.And since then our client has failed to come forward to claim his consignment, which has accumulated a considerable amount of money in demurrage.

Consequently, in our bide to contact this client to redeem the demurrage which his consignment had accumulated we discovered that our client was the former president of the Federal Republic of Zaire, who died of illness after he was dethroned in the same year the consignment was entrusted into our care. Since the death of our client President Mobutou Seseseko, none of his benefactors has come forward to claim the consignment with us, which means that none of his relatives or aids had any knowledge of this consignment.

Hence out of curiosity I decided to secretly open the two boxes that our client deposited in our vault. And to my surprise I discovered that the two boxes that
were registered as treasure by our client actually contained a considerable amount of money in United States Dollars amounting to about US$25.5million US Dollar. Since this development I have been nursing plans secretly.

I also found out from enquiries and the foreign media that our late client siphoned a lot of money from his country while he was in office as head of state. It is my conviction that the consignment in our vault was part of the money that our client siphoned and now that he is dead there is no trace to this money in our care. I am now soliciting your noble assistance to assist me in transferring this money out of South Africa to your country for immediate investment with your assistance.

I have also decided that you will generously be entitled to 40% of the total amount. Upon my receipt of your reply confirming your willingness to assist me of thi transaction, I will immediately arrange and transfer all the rights of ownership of this
consignment to your name to facilitate your easy clearance and transfer of the complete funds to your country for onwards investment. This transaction is
100% risk free. Please maintain absolute confidentiality on this matter.

I await your most prompt response through my telephone
numbers or the above e-mail address.

Yours faithfully.

MR. Chris Thompson.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam