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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "huge deposit" (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 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)
  • "attorneys " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +27836229692 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Gareth Dube" <jimkah1@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: gardube001@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:20:24 +0200
Subject: From: Gareth Dube Esq.


From: Gareth Dube Esq.
Gd & Associates
352 Oak Avenue,
Randburg 2125, Johannesburg,
South Africa.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a Financial Attorney and legal consultant based in South Africa. As
Financial Attorneys my firm has facilitated a lot of transactions for very
high profile clients at home and abroad.

From my enquiries, your profile on investments and acquisitions suits an
investment opportunity and may turn out to be a good foundation on which we
can build an effective and functional business relationship .of particular
interest presently, is a client's account that I have had to administer for
the past six years. Although the client is deceased, there are huge deposits
that we can safely engage for investment funding before they are declared
Unserviceable or reverted to the government treasury as unclaimed funds.

The client died in very unfortunate circumstances there are no existing
beneficiaries. It is my mandate as clients' attorney to facilitate the
release of this fund to a verified beneficiary. I have decided to seek your
assistance and have you receive this fund on our behalf. All the legal
requirements will be fulfilled to have you as a proven beneficiary of the
claim. The total value of the claim is Seven One Million, Eight Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars (US$71.8m).

At your interest please let us discuss this further by e-mail or ring me for
further directive so that I can avail you with more information and the
mutual benefits that will accrue. I hope you will understand the nature of
this transaction, which has made me frugal with sensitive information.

Telephone: +27-83-622-9692
E-mail: gdassociates@live.co.za

Best regards
Gareth Dube Esq
Pricipal Partner

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam