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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
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• 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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united state 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)
  • "hundred thousand united state 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • +27866049404 (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.
  • maxwell_shabalala@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Maxwell Shabalala" <m_shabalala12@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <maxwell_shabalala@myway.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:51:37 +0200
Subject: From: Mr. Maxwell Shabalala.



From: Mr. Maxwell Shabalala
No: 101 Hendrik Potgieter
Street, Constantia Avenue.
JHB South Africa.

Invitation For Partnership

Attention: President /Director /CEO,

Greetings,

With due respect, trust and humility, I write this proposal, which I believe, would be of great interest to you in assisting me, I believe that destiny is an act of God which can only be delayed, but not changed, this business opportunity to you. I am Mr. Maxwell Shababala, The Chief Auditor of FIRST RAND BANK LTD OF SOUTH AFRICA (F.R.B). In my department I discovered an abandoned sum of US$9.5Million United State Dollars (Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Late Dr. McMorris Thompson, a foreigner, and a miner at Kruger gold co., a geologist by profession and he died since 2000. No other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that his company does not know anything about this account.

I am only contacting you as a foreigner because these funds cannot be approved to a local bank here, but can only be approved to any foreign account because the fund is in (United States Dollars) and the former owner of the account is Late Dr. McMorris Thompson is a foreigner too. I know that this message will come to you as a surprise as we don't know ourselves before. We will sign a binding agreement to bind us together in this business, so that you can receive this fund into a foreign account or any account of your choice where the funds will be safe. And I will fly to your country for withdrawal and sharing and other investments. I am contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with foreign account and foreign beneficiary, please bear in mind that this transaction is real and 100% risk free. Please reply urgently so that I will inform you the next step to take immediately.

I need your full co-operation to make this work fine 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, if you are willing and capable to handle such amount in strict confidence and trust according to my instructions and advice for our mutual benefit because this opportunity will never come again in my life. I need truthful person in this business because I don't want to make mistake, I need your strong assurance and trust. With my position now in the office I can transfer this money to any foreigner's reliable account, which you can provide with assurance that this money will be intact pending my physical arrival in your country for sharing. I will destroy all documents of transaction immediately we receive this money leaving no trace to any place. You can also come to discuss with me face to face after which I will make this remittance in your presence and two of us will fly to your country at least two days ahead of the money going into the account.

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. We shall discuss about your reward/percentage for your efforts and assistance once you indicate your interest. Finally modalities on how the transfer will be conveyed to you once we establish trust and confidence between ourselves. I am willing to accept any reasonable condition you may deem necessary, and we can as well go into partnership business with you, the key ward to this transaction is absolute confidential and secrecy as my life and my future depends on this money, and please do send me your private telephone and fax numbers for easy communications.

I look forward to a mutual business relationship with you, while I wait for your urgent response.

Thanks and regards,
Mr. Maxwell Shabalala
My telephone number: + 27-73-366-8155
Fax number : +27-86-604-9404
Email: maxwell_shabalala@myway.com
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam