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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
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "first national bank" (not involved with lotteries)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "may 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)
  • "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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "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)
  • "contract award committee" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • markzuma002@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3amarkzuma002@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Mark Zuma" <markzuma2@yamal.info>
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 17:38:05 +0200
Subject: =?WINDOWS-1256?Q?INVESTMENT_PROPOSAL=FE?=


From: Office Of The Chairman,
Contract Award Committee
Eskom Pty Ltd, South Africa.
Dear Sir/Madam,

I know that this proposal may come to you as a surprise, especially having
to come from someone you have not met before, but i would like you to
co-operate with me so that this US$15.5 Million will be released and
transferred into your overseas account.

My name is MR, MARK ZUMA, the chairman of contract award co mmittee of
eskom pty ltd South Africa. It is my profound intention to contact you for
this very important and highly confidential transaction for the transfer of
US$15,5M into your overseas account. The US$15,5M was the over estimated
balance from the contract South Africa Awarded to both foreign and local
contractors the real contract value was US$119,500,000.00 Million dollars
but it was over estimated to US$135M (One Hundred And Thirty Fifty Five
Million United States Dollars.)

The contract has been executed by the Contractors and their contract sum of
(US$119,500,000.00M) has been paid to them, leaving our over estimated
balance of (US$15,5M) still pending at the bank right now, we are left with
this over estimated balance of (US$15,5M) which is still floating at the
eskom account in First National Bank(FNB),awaiting final payment to any
reliable foreign bank account you may provide.

I am therefore asking you to co- operate with me so that the fund will be
released and transferred into your account. If you are interested in this my
proposal, reply me so that we can negotiate your percentage before we
proceed.

However, when the fund is transferred into your account over there, i shall
obtain visa and travel to meet you for my own share of the money and for
investment in this regards Kindly, contact me through my detail below.

Best regards.
MR MARK ZUMA
email:markzuma002@hotmail.com <email%3Amarkzuma002@hotmail.com>
NB: Please send me your telephone/Mobile numbers
and Fax numbers for easier communication.
It is very confidential, thanks.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam