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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
  (+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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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
  • "transaction is 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.
  • +27838688468 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "John Kuku" <johnkuku_zwa30@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: johnkuku_zaaa@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 09:37:28 +0200
Subject: Treat as Urgent.

From Mr. John Kuku.
Phone no: +27-83-8688468
Johannesburg South Africa,


Dear Sir/Madam,

You may be surprised to receive this letter from me since you do not know me
personally; the purpose of my introduction is that, I am Mr. John Kuku the
first son of Mr. Dada Kuku who was recently murdered in the land dispute in
Zimbabwe.

I got your contact through network online hence decided to write you. Before
the death of my father, he had taken me to Johannesburg to deposit the sum
of seven million, four hundred thousand United States Dollars (US$7.400.000)
in one of the private security company, as if he foresaw the looming danger
in Zimbabwe. This money was deposited in a box as germ stones to avoid much
demurrage from Security Company.

This amount was meant for the purchase of new machines and chemicals for the
farms and established of new farm in Swaziland. This land problem came when
Zimbabwean President Mr. Robert Mugabe introduces a new Land Act reform
which wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few black’s farmers.
And this resulted to the killing and mob action by Zimbabwean war veterans
and some Lunatics in the society.

Infact, a lot of people were killed because of this land reformed Act for
which my father was one of the victims. It is against this background that,
I and my family who are currently staying in South Africa have decided to
transfer my father’s money to foreign account since the law of South Africa
prohibit a refugee ( asylum seeker) to open any bank account or
to be involved in any financial transaction throughout the territorial zone
of South Africa.

As the eldest son of my father, I am saddle with the responsibility of
seeking a genuine foreign account where this money could be transferred
without the knowledge of my government who are bent on taking everything we
have got.

The South African government seems to be playing along with them. I am faced
with the dilemma of investing this amount of money in South Africa for fear
of going through the same experience in future since both countries have
similar political history. Moreover, the South African Foreign Exchange
Policy does not allow such investments for an asylum seeker.
As a business person, who I have to entrust my future since both my future
and of my family are in your hands, I must let you know that this
transaction is risk free. If you accept to assist me and my family all I
want you to do for me is to make arrangements and come to Johannesburg-South
Africa, so that you can open a non-resident account which you will aid us in
transferring the money into any account which you will nominate overseas.
This money I intended to use for investment.

I have two options for you; firstly you can choose to have certain
percentage of the money for nominating your account for this transaction. Or
you can go into partnership with me for proper profitable investment of the
money in your country. Whichever the options you want, feel free to notify
me, Contact me with the above Telephone and E-mail address while I implore
you to maintain the absolute secrecy required in this transaction.

PLEASE READ ABOUT PROBLEMS IN ZIMBABWE FROM THE LINKS BELOW.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/918781.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/715001.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1063785.stm

Yours sincerely

Mr. John Kuku. for the family

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam