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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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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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:
  • "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)
  • "confidentiality of this transaction" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
• 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.
  • +27865124389 (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.
  • jozulu@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: jozulu@sify.com
Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2006 15:29:05 +0200
Subject: Transaction(Very Urgent)

FROM: MR.JOSEPH ZULU.
EMAIL:jozulu@sify.com
TEL/FAX:+27-8-6512-4389.




ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO.





REQUEST FOR URGENT TRANSFER.

In my quest for a reliable and trusted partner for a highly important and lucrative venture cum investment, I came across your contact as a reliable partner
for this venture. I am Mr. Joseph Zulu, one of the senior Accountants of AMALGAMATED
BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA (ABSA). To highlight you on this proposal, there is an account opened in this bank since 1980 till 1990
after which, nobody has operated on this account again till date. After going through some old files in the records, I discovered that if I do not remit this
money out urgently it would be forfeited for nothing. The owner of this account is
Mr. Ben Andreas, a foreigner, and a miner at Kruger gold co., a geologist by profession who died since 1990. No other person knows about this and my investigation further proved to me that his company does not know anything about
this account and the amount involved as he made it his personal account. The money
outstanding before his death was (USD 26 Million) Twenty Six Million United States Dollars.

I am now contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved to a
national with a local bank account here. But can only be approved to any foreign
account because the money is in US dollars and the former owner, a foreigner. I
implore you to act as foreigner and beneficiary to the fund as I will then intimate
you on the processes abound as well as procure all the necessary documents required
to lay claim to the money.If you are capable and willing to handle such amount in strict confidence and trust
according to my instructions and advice for our mutual benefit I shall highly
appreciate. I need trusted person in this business because I do not want to make
mistakes; I need your strong assurance and trust.With my position now in the office I can effect transfer of this money to any
foreigner's reliable account, which you can provide with assurance that this money will be intact pending my arrival in your country for
disbursement. On the alternative, you can come down here to South Africa for us to meet one to one.

Send me your private telephone and fax numbers upon receipt of this proposal, if you
genuinely want to assist and be a co-partner. As soon as you receive this money into
a foreign account or any account of your choice where the fund will be safe. I will
proceed to your country for onward percentage distributions and investment. I need
your full co-operation to make this work because the management is ready to approve
this payment to any foreigner, who has correct information of this account, which I
will give to you later immediately. I will use my position and influence to effect
legal approvals and onward transfer of this money to your account with appropriate
clearance forms of the ministries and foreign exchange departments. At the
conclusion of this business, for your assistance, 25% of the total amount will be
accrue for you, 70% for me, while 5% will be for expenses both parties might have
incurred during the process of the transfer .

I implore you to maintain the absolute confidentiality of this transaction.

Your earliest response is urgently awaited.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. Joseph Zulu.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam