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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "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)
  • "huge amount of money" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "the key word to this transaction is absolute confidentiality" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
• This email message is a orphan 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.
  • +27731828938 (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.
  • de_sz_uma@hotmail.com
  • deszumafamily@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MR DESZUMA <de_sz_uma53@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:16:37 +0200
Subject: FAMILY ASSISTANCE



FROM:MR. DESMOND ZUMA
TEL:+27-73 1828 938
EMAIL: de_sz_uma@hotmail.com or deszumafamily@hotmail.com

REQUEST FOR AN URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

My name is DEMOND Zuma,the eldest son of MR WALTER ZUMA,of ZIMBABWE It might be a surprise to you where I got your contact address, I got it from the Network Online.However,this proposal letter is coming to you with good intention.

During the current crises against the farmers of Zimbabwe by thesupporters of our president,ROBERT MUGABE to claim all the white owned farms inour country, he ordered all the white farmers to surrender their farms to his party members and their followers.My father was one of the great and best farmers in the country duringhis life time and knowing that he did not support the president’spolitical ideology,the president’s supporters invaded my father’s farm, burntdown everything, shot him and as a result of the wounds sustained, he became sick and died after five days.

And after his death, I and my younger brother include my only sister, decided to move out of Zimbabwe for the safety of our lives to South-Africa. BUT, before my father died, he wrote his WILL, which reads :"(MY BELOVEED SON ,I WISH TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SUM OF EIGHTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($18.5,00,000=00),WHICH I DEPOSITED IN A BOX WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN JOHANNESBURG (SOUTH-AFRICA).IN CASE OF MY ABSENCE ON EARTH CAUSED BY DEATH ONLY".You should solicit for reliable foreign partner to assist you to transfer this money out of SOUTH AFRICA for investment purpose.I deposited the money in your name and it can be claimed by you onlywith the help of a FOREIGN PARTNER using the deposit code.Your mother hasall the documents. Take good care of her,your younger brother and sister.From the above, you will understand that the lives and future of myfamily depends on this money as much.

I will be very grateful if you can assist us I and my younger brother including my sister are now living in South-Africa as POLITICAL ASYLUM SEEKERS since Febuary 2007 and the financial law of SOUTH-AFRICA does not allow ASYLUM SEEKERS certain financial rights to such huge amount of money.In view of this, I cannot invest this money in South-Africa, hence I am asking you to assist me transfer this money out of South-Africa for investment purposes.For your efforts, I am prepared to offer you 30% of the total fund,while 70% will be for me and my family.Finally, modalities on the transfer will be conveyed to you once we establish trust and confidence between ourselves.Looking forward to your urgent reply via my two email:de_sz_uma@hotmail.com or deszumafamily@hotmail.com.For detailed information, pleasecontact me on my direct line TEL:+27-731828938 , Your personal phone and fax numbers are highly needed for further and effective communication.NOTE: THE KEY WORD TO THIS TRANSACTION IS ABSOLUTE CONFIDENTIALITY AND SECRECY DUE TO POLITICAL CRISIS.THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE. YOUR URGENT RESPONSE WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.Best regards,DESMOND ZUMA(for the family)
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam