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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
  • "tax clearance" (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "huge sum 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)
• 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.
  • +27836887707 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "fezile zulu-x2" <fezilezulu-x2@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: fezilezulu20@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 05 Jul 2006 14:14:21 +0000
Subject: INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

I AM A PRIVATE INVESTOR BASED IN EUROPE (UTRECHT). A GROUP OF GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS FROM SOUTH AFRICA CONTACTED ME WITH AN OFFER. I AM TO SOLICIT AND
STATE THEIR OFFER, IF YOUR INTEREST IS GENUINE, YOU CAN CONTACT FOR FURTHER
BRIEFING.

YOU WILL BE MADE A BENEFICIARY OF A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY ($46.4MD) AND IT
WILL BE TRANSFERRD TO YOU. A HIGH COMPENSATION OF 20% AWAITS YOU, THE
REMAINING BALANCE (MINUS THE INTEREST, HANDLING AND TAX CLEARANCE CHARGES,
WHICH WILL BE OFFSET BY US AND DEDUCTED FROM THE TRANSFER SUM) TO A
NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT IN CAYMAN ISLANDS.

I DO N'T THINK I NEED TO SPELL OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SECRECY IN THIS MATTER
CONSIDERING WHAT IS INVOLVED. LET ME STATE CLEARLY HERE THAT THE ACCOUNT YOU
WILL BE PROVIDING DOES NOT NEED TO HAVE FUNDS IN IT, IT IS ONLY NEEDED TO BE
ACTIVE AND BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS IN QUESTION. I NEED YOUR QUICK
RESPONSE TO THIS MAIL TO INDICATE YOUR INTENT, BY FORWARDING YOUR DETAILS TO
ME.

THIS IS IMPORTANT, AS WE WOULD NEED TO TALK AND HAVE A MEETING TO DISCUSS
THE MODALITIES OF THIS OFFER, PRESENTLY AM IN SOUTH AFRICA. FOR FURTHER
CLARIFICATION PLEASE CONTACT ME THROUGH MY PRIVATE NUMBER +27-83-688-7707
OR BETTER STILL THROUGH MY EMAIL ADDRESS:

SINCERELY YOURS
FEZILE ZULU.

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam