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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)
  • "from: the desk of" (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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +27726907696 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "vusi mabandla" <vusi.absa6@gmail.com>
Reply-To: vmabandla.absa@live.com
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:42:34 +0200
Subject: The Chief Auditor of ABSA Bank South Africa


From: The Desk of Mr. Vusi Mabandla.
The Chief Auditor of ABSA Bank South Africa
Tell: +27 72 690 7696.
REPLY ON MY PRIVATE EMAIL ID:
*vmabandla.absa@live.com<http://ca.mc565.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vmabandla.absa@live.com>
*

Dear Sir/Madam,

I apologies for this surprise mail to you but please I really need your
assistance
at this time. I got your contact email address from your Country Trade
Journal and
you are the only person that I have contacted in this business with believe
that you
will not let me down.

After going through some old files in the records department, I discovered
an
account opened in this bank in 1994 and since 2002 no body has operated on
this
account again, the owner of this account was late Mr. Smith Andrews, a
foreigner and
a miner at Anglo Gold Company. He was a geologist by profession and he died
in 2002.
Till date, no one knows about this account, and the amount involved is US$15
Million
(15 Million United State Dollars) I want to first transfer US$10 Million
(Ten
Million United State dollars) from the fund into a foreign safe account
abroad
before I can transfer the balance.

I am contacting you for this purpose that the fund can't be approved to
transfer to
a local account since the beneficiary is a foreigner and deceased. The fund
can only
be approved for overseas transfer because the fund is in US dollars and can
only be
transferred to a foreign account. I need your assistance to transfer the
fund to
your country's account. The management is ready to approve the payment to
whoever
that has the correct information as the next of kin to late Mr. Smith
Andrews of
which I shall provide to you.

I trust that you will be able to handle such amount in strict confidence and
trust
for our mutual benefits. This opportunity will never come again in my life;
I need a
Trustworthy person in this business and therefore need your strong
assurance, trust
and reliability. With my position now in the office, I will make sure that
this
money is transferred into your account, which you can provide me with the
assurance
that this money will be intact pending my physical arrival in your country
for our
proper disbursement and you can also come down here to discuss with me face
to face
about the remittance modalities.

I will invest my own share of the money in your country and I am offering
you 30% of
the total fund, 70% will be for my colleagues and me. I will use my position
and
influence of my friend, the Chief Director in South African Reserve Bank to
effect
approvals for onward transfer of this fund to your account. We will also
secure
clearance form the Ministries and Foreign Exchange Department.

I am looking forward to your urgent response and please feel free to contact
me on
my direct phone number or via email above for proper conversation.

Best Regards,
Mr.Vusi Mabandla

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam