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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
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• 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.

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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "million united states dollars" (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.
  • +27731158823 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: j_thulani@walla.com
Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 08:01:07 +0200
Subject: PRIVATE

FROM: JOHN THULANI
PHONE: 27-73-115-8823.
PRIVATE E-MAIL:j_thulani2006@walla.com
20 GIBSON DRIVE,
SANDTON SQUARE,
JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.


ATTENTION: DIRECTOR/CHAIRMAN:

SIR/MADAM,

I GUESS THE SURPRISE THIS LETTER MAY BE TO YOU AS YOU
DO NOT KNOW ME IN PERSON. BUT CONSIDER THIS AS A
REQUEST FROM A FAMILY IN DISTRESS AND NEED OF YOUR
ASSISTANCE. FOR PURPOSE OF INTRODUCTION, I AM JOHN
THULANI, SON OF MR. EDWIN THULANI, WHO WAS RECENTLY
MURDERED IN COLD-BLOOD, OVER THE RECENT LAND
RE-ACQUSITION POLICY IN ZIMBABWE.

UPON THE COMMENDABLE RECOMMENDATION I RECEIVED OF YOUR
COMPANY AND PERSON THROUGH THE INDIVIDUAL/GROUP
PROFILE BEREAU, JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA, I HAVE
DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND HELP.
MY LATE FATHER WAS ONE OF THE FEW ZIMBABWEAN FARMERS
MURDERED BY THE AGENTS OF THE RULING ZANU-PF
GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE,FOR HIS SUPPORT
AND SYMPATHY OF THE ZIMBABWEAN OPPOSITION PARTY AND
THE FEW RICH FARMERS IN THE WAKE OF THE CRISES.

BEFORE HIS DEATH, HE HAD TRAVELLED TO SOUTH AFRICA,
AND DEPOSITED THE SUM OF =US$35MILLION=(THIRTY FIVE
MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) IN MY NAME AS HIS NEXT
OF KIN WITH A SECURITY COMPANY AS A FAMILY VAULABLE
CONSINGMENT, TO REDUCE SERVICE CHARGES AND DUMMURAGES.
ACCORDING TO MY FATHER, HE ACQUIRED THIS FUND THROUGH
ON THE ORDERS BY PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE, FOR AN
ALLEDGED INVESTMENTS PURPOSES WHILE THEY WERE YET IN
GOOD TERMS. BUT WHEN MUGABE(PRESIDENT) ADOPTED A NEW
LAND ACT WHICH WHOLLY AFFECTED FEW RICH FARMERS(WHITES
AND BLACKS ALIKE), HIS ACT WAS VEHEMENTLY CONDEMNED
AND THE EFFECTS OF THE ABOVE WAS RAMPANT KILLINGS AND
MOB ACTIONS AGAINST GROUP OF VETERANS AND SOME
POLITICAL ACTIVISTS.

THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN MOUNTING OPPOSITION FROM VARIOUS
QUARTERS AND SOME RESPECTED HEADS OF GOVERNMENTS OF
PRESIDENT MUGABE'S PLAN, YET, THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN
DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY(SADC) HAS CONTINOUSLY SUPPORTED
THE NEW LAND REFORMIST ACT. IT IS AGAINST THIS
BACKGROUND THAT MY FAMILY AND I, CURRENTLY RESIDING IN
SOUTH AFRICA AS REFUGEES HAVE DECIDED TO TRANSFER THE
FUND OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT FOR
SAFETY.

AND BEING THE ONLY SON, I AM SADDLED WITH THE TASK OF
SOLICITING A GENUINE PARTNER/AN INVESTOR WHERE THIS
MONEY COULD BE TRANSFERED EITHER TO A COMPANY'S OR
PERSONAL ACCOUNT(S) WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF MY
GOVERNMENT AND THAT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS
WHO SEEMS TO BE PLAYING ALONG WITH THEM. MOREOVER, THE
SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND MONETARY POLICY
DOES NOT PERMIT SUCH INVESTMENTS FOR AN ASYLUM STATUS
HOLDER. IN LIEU OF THIS ABOVE, I HAVE CONTACTED YOU
FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. I AM ALSO VERY WILLING TO ENTRUST
THE FUTURE OF MY ENTIRE FAMILY IN YOUR HANDS, AND AS
SUCH I AM WILLING TO WELCOME ANY REASONABLE CONDITION
FOR YOUR SERVICES. THOUGH I HAVE TENTATIVELY CONCLUDED
TO OFFER YOU 35%,AND 5% TO DEFRAY ANY EXPENSES THAT
MAY ARISE FROM BOTH PARTIES, WHILE 60% IS SET ASIDE
FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER
PLACE YOU MAY DEEM CONVINENT.

PLEASE I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE OR
CONTACT ME ON THIS NUMBER(+27-73-115-8823) SO THAT ALL
OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION AND ARRANGEMENTS TOWARDS
THIS TRANSACTION COULD COMMENCE AS SOON AS TRUST AND
CONFIDENCE IS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN US. PLEASE RE-ASSURE
THE CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIRED OF THIS TRANSACTION.

THANKS FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED HELP AND CO-OPERATION.

YOURS TRULY,

JOHN THULANI,(FOR THE FAMILY).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam