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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:
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "dear beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • sabinavusi@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: svusi@webmail.co.za
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 11:22:22 +0200
Subject: PLEASE TAKE A MIT TO READ



MISS SABINA VUSI
JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.
Email:sabinavusi@yahoo.com
TEL:0027-728325952


Dear Beloved,
(URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL)
I know this proposal letter may come to you as a surprise considering the fact that we have not had any conversation, but all the same I would want you for the sake of God to give this an immediate attention in view of the fact that the security of my live and possession is at stake.

I am Mrs. Sabina Vusi, the Wife of Sir. John Vusi of Zimbabwe. During the current war against farmers in Zimbabwe and from the support our president ROBERT MUGABE to claim all the white owned farms in our country, all the white farmers were ordered to surrender their farms to his party members and his followers.

My Husband who was one of the best farmers in our country did not support his idea. And so the party members invaded my Husband’s farms and burnt everything in the farm, killed my husband and made away with a lot of treasures in my husband’s farm/house. After the death of my husband, I and my two kids decided to move out of Zimbabwe because our lives were in danger.

But before then, my husband has told me that there is a box that was deposited with a Security Company in South Africa that contents money, this money was raised by his farmer's group for the purchasing of farming equipments/machineries before the land dispute rose. The amount involved is US$25.5 Million (TWENTY FIVE Million FIVE Hundred Thousand United States Dollars), the content of the box was not disclosed to the Security Company for security reasons, besides it was declared as a valuable item

So we decided to make contact with an overseas firm who will assist us to move this money out of South Africa because we are Asylum Seekers in South Africa and according to our investigation/inquiries, the laws of this country does not permit us some certain rights, such as operating a bank accounts, investment, study and other monetary transaction

Now what I want you to do now is to help me in claiming this fund from the Security Company, as my late husband's foreign partner, I have all legal documents relating to this, and will provide you with every piece of information required by the Security company to release the consignment to you, and I will also provide you with a power of attorney with my newly found lawyer here in Johannesburg as the next of king to the depository. I am willing to offer you 40% of this fund while you help me
Invest the other 60% in your country and my onward migration to your country for a better life; I have really had a hard time in Africa .I will wait for your urgent response to this letter, and I hope to hear positively from you as soon as possible.

PLEASE READ ABOUT PROBLEMS IN ZIMBABWE FROM THE LINKS BELOW.
www1.zimbabwesituation.com
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

Thanks and God bless,
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Sabina Vusi.
(For The Family)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam