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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:

• 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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • +27785409932 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
  • +27866594121 (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.
  • domf@safe-mail.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Frank Dom" <domfza3@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2007 17:23:11 +0900
Subject: Urgent please..........



From: Mr, Frank Dom.Senior Auditor Absa
Bank of South Africa,TEL: +27-78540-9932FAX: +27-86659-4121Dear Friend, I have picked-up the trust and courage to write you this letter with divine confidence that you are a reliable and honest person who will be capable for this important business transaction believing also that you will never let me down either now or in the future.

My name is Frank. Dom, a senior Auditing Officer with the ABSA Bank in South Africa. There is an account opened in this bank in 1993 and since 1996 nobody has operated on this account again. 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 to the government as dormant account.

The owner of this account is Mr. Fernando Carlos, a foreigner, he was a miner at Kruger Gold Company, a geologist by profession, and he died since 1996 in a plane crash. No other person knows about this account or anything concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that this company does not know anything about this account and the amount involved is (US$18 million) Eighteen million United States Dollars.

I want to transfer this sum of Eighteen million United States Dollars into a safe foreign account abroad. I am contacting you based on the fact that you are a foreigner because this money can only be approved for payment to a foreigner. I know that this proposal will come to you as a surprise as we don't know ourselves before.


However I got your contact from a trade consultant here in South Africa, though I did not disclose the purpose of my seeking for a foreign business partner to him. Although we will still have to meet to sign some agreement before the final transfer of the fund into any of your designated bank account.

I have involved a very senior official in the operational department, and we have agreed that after the transfer of the money into your account, you shall be entitled to 25% of the total sum, my colleagues and I will have 70% while 5% will be used to reimburse any expenses incurred. All necessary precautions have been taken to ensure a risk free situation on the side of both parties. Please note that this deal can only take place on the following conditions;

1. You will provide the bank account and other relevant particulars/information for easy and onward Remittance of the Eighteen million USD.

2. Absolute confidentiality and sincerity will be required and guaranteed, considering our positions in the bank.

3. Assurance that our own share will be released to us in good faith when this money finally gets into your account.
All things being equal, this transaction will be within 10 working days as soon as we hear from you. Please treat with utmost confidentiality. Contact me as quickly as possible through my private email: domf@Safe-mail.net or above telephone. Expecting your urgent response,

Best Regards,

Yours faithfully,



Mr. Frank Dom,
Senior Auditor Absa
Bank of South Africa,
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam