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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:
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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:
  • "hundred thousand 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 business is hitch free " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +27730199009 (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.
  • jomagwai@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: jomagwai@sify.com
Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2006 11:37:49 -0800
Subject: Immediate Transfer!!

FROM: MR.JOSEPH MAGWAI.
JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.
Tel: +27-7-3019-900-9.
Email: jomagwai@sify.com


ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO.

It is indeed my pleasure to contact you as a reliable and trusted
partner for a transaction of this magnitude. I am Mr. Joseph Magwai, In
charge of Credit and Foreign bills of my Bank, AMALGAMATED BANK OF SOUTH
AFRICA (ABSA).

I am writing in respect of a foreign customer of my bank whose name is
Mr. Andreas Schranner a citizen of Germany who perished in a plane
crash [Concorde Air Flight AF4590] with the whole passengers aboard on 31
July2000. And for your perusal you can view this web site:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

Since the demise of this our customer, I personally has watched with
keen interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no
one has come to claim his funds of US$25.5M (Twenty Five Million Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) which has been with my branch for
a very long time. On this note, I decided to seek for whom his name
shall be used as the Next of Kin as no one has come up to be the next of
kin. And the banking ethics here does not allow such money to stay more
than eight years, because the money will be recalled to the bank
treasury as unclaimed after this period.

In view of this, I got your contact through a trade journal. And I have
agreed to give you 30% of the total if you can handle this transaction
in ultimate sincerity and secrecy. Upon the receipt of your response, I
will send you by fax or e-mail the application, bank's fax number and
the next step to take. I will not fail to bring to your notice that this
business is hitch free and that you should not entertain any fear as
all modalities for fund transfer can be finalized within five working
days, after you apply to the bank as a relation to the deceased.

Kindly send me an e-mail signifying your decision including your
private Tel/Fax numbers for quicker communication on received of this letter.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. Joseph Magwai.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam