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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.

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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "for your efforts, i am prepared to offer you " (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)
  • "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)
  • "million 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)
  • "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +27866349033 (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.
  • adamsanko_r@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: adam sanko <army-col-sanko@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <adamsanko_r@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2007 13:47:32 +0200
Subject: URGENT & CONFIDENTIAL



ATT: MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO FAX: +27-866-349-033 Dear Sir/Madam,
I know you will be surprised to read from me, but please consider this letter as a request from a family in dire need of assistance. I am Mrs. Rebecca Sanko from Liberia, The second wife of the late colonel Adam Sanko. I am residing and writing from Swaziland ***
I got your contact information in the course of discreet search for a reliable person in South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. On behalf of my family I decided to solicit for your assistance to transfer the sum of US$22 Million (TWENTY-TWO Million United States Dollars)inherited from my late husband into your ‘personal/company’s account” 100% risk free***

My husband died in St.Amant Hospital as a result of operation on the bullet wounds he sustained during an encounter with the rebels. He was Director of Arms Procurements Committee in Liberian Army and personal Assistant to former “President Charles Taylor” administration they appointed to purchase firearms/weapons in South Africa but subsequently the AU & UN Anti-conflict commission warning some companies in Russian, North-Korea, French for illegal mining and selling firearms/weapons to the rebels in Liberian, Sudan-Darfur, Somalia, DRC-Congo and some other war-torn Africa countries. They husband and some higher ranks Brigadier/commander army officers saw it as a golden opportunity and diverted the money and shared it my husband got a total of US$22 Million Dollars***

IN FACT MY husband SAID IN HIS “WILL” I QUOTE MY beloved son I wish to draw your attention to the sum of US$22Million which I deposited in safe-box that containing this money in a private security company in Durban South Africa. I did this In case of my absence on earth as a result of death only my second wife who cares should solicit for assistance of a reliable and sincere foreign partner to assist transfer this money out of South Africa for investment. I deposited this safe-box in the name of my son he will claim it with a deposit code ***

From the above, you will understand that the lives and future of my family depend on this money, as such, I will be grateful if you can assist us. We are living in Swaziland now as political asylum seekers and financial laws and regulations of South Africa do not permit asylum seekers (Refugee) to invest in South Africa. Hence I am asking you to assist us to transfer this money out of South Africa for investment purposes. For your efforts, I am prepared to offer you 20%of the total sum while 5% will be set aside for expenses incurred between yourself and myself, while 75% will be kept for my family investment in your country under supervision ***
Finally, modalities on how the transfer will be conveyed to you once we have established trust and confidence between ourselves (all the documents is with me) Please I am waiting for your reply urgent including your private telephone/fax numbers for easy communication, or kindly contact my son that studying in South-Africa Defence Academy military school in Durban South Africa via +27-835-380-777 Mr Joseph for more details on transfer will done in bank here ***
Best Regards,
Mrs. Rebecca Sanko(on behalf of my family reply on private email:adamsanko_r@yahoo.com
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam