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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
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "offshore 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr.Kelly Royce" <ky_uk31@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <kelly_royce2@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2008 08:07:56 +0000
Subject: Urgent Business Proposal


FROM Dr. Kelly Royce

Dear Friend,

Before I go further I will like to introduce myself, I am Dr. Kelly Royce, a citizen of South African and I am an Executive Accountant with the South Africa Department of Minerals & Energy. First and foremost, I apologized using this medium to reach you for a transaction/business of this magnitude, but this is due to Confidentiality and prompt access repose on this medium. Be informed that a member of the South Africa Export Promotion Council (SEPC) who was at the Government delegation to your country during a trade exhibition gave your enviable credentials/particulars to me. I have decided to seek a confidential co-operation with you in the execution of this deal described Hereunder for the benefit of all parties and hope you will keep it as a top secret because of the nature of this transaction.

Within the Department of Minerals & Energy where I work as an Executive Accountant and with the cooperation of my colleague Mr. Richard Michaels, who is also a top official, we have in our possession as overdue payment bills totaling Twenty Seven Million U. S. Dollars (US$27,000,000.00) which we want to transfer abroad with your assistance and cooperation to receive the said fund on our behalf. More so, we are handicapped in the circumstances, as the South Africa Civil Service Code of Conduct does not allow us to operate offshore account hence your importance in the whole transaction.

This amount US$27million represents the balance of the total contract value executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign contracting firm, which I and my colleague over-invoiced deliberately. Though the actual contract cost have been paid to the original contractor, leaving the balance in the tune of the said amount which we have in principles gotten approval to remit by Telegraphic Transfer (T.T) to any foreign bank account you will provide by filing in an application of claim for the transfer of your contract entitlement.
I have the authority of my colleague involved to propose that should you be willing to assist us in the transaction, your share of the sum will be 25% of the US$27million, 70% for us and 5% for taxation and miscellaneous expenses. The business itself is 100% safe, on your part provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality. Also your area of specialization is not a hindrance to the successful execution of this transaction. I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint me.

Endeavor to contact me directly immediately whether or not you are interested in this deal. If you are not, it will enable me scout for another foreign partner to carry out this deal I want to assure you that my partner and myself are in a position to make the payment of this claim possible provided you can give us a very strong assurance and guarantee that our share will be secured and please remember to treat this matter as very confidential matter, because we will not comprehend with any form of exposure as we are still in active Government Service and remember once again that time is of the essence in this business. I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation. I will give my confidential mobile number and my private fax number where you can reach me at any time as soon as I hear from
you.

Yours faithfully, Dr. Kelly Royce
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam