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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
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
  • ",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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +27766371881 (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.
  • willskelvin@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: willskelvin@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 01:49:04 +0800
Subject: BUSINESS INVESTMENT PROPOSAL


OFFICE ADDRESS: 122-127 BOKSBURG RD. JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA.
Tel: +27-76-6371-881 Fax :+27:86-515-7889
ATTN: PRESIDENT/ CEO.
EMAIL:(willskelvin@hotmail.com)
HTTP: www.anglogoldashanti.co.za

Dear Sir/Madam,

It is with trust and confidence that I write to reveal this urgent business
proposal to you.I was assigend bymy colleagues to find a foreign partner who
will assist us in provinding an overseas bank account for the transfer 0f
US$10,000,000.00 (TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY)The actual contract
value was US$120 Million (ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS ONLY), But
my colleagues and I being member of the contract award/review committee over
inflated the contract sum toO US$130 Million (ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY MILLION
DOLLARS ONLY),with the intention of sharing of the remaining balance of
US$10 Million.

We therefore want to transfer out of the country in our favour for
disbursement among ourselves the sum of US$10 Million only. Also we agreed
that if you/your company can act as the beneficiary of this fund,We will
transfer the fund to your account and you will retain 30% of the total fund
for the assistance rendered,while 65% will be for us and balance of 5% will
be set aside for expenses that might be incurred by both parties during the
process of the fund transfer.The transaction will take ten working days.We
request you co-operate with us and provide a convenient account number in
desiganated bank where this fund can be safely transferred to,We intend to
come over there on the completion of fund transfer to secure our
share.Please,note we have been careful and work out all the modalities for
the smooth transfer of the fund to your chosen account before contacting
you.

Therefore,you are advised not to expose this propsal to anybody for the
purpose of security and it's and confidential nature,We also believe you
would not sit on our money when transfer into account in your account as you
will get your 100% share.Be rest assure that this transaction is 100% risk
free, If this proposal is accepted please contact us through the Tel number:
+27-76-6371-881 or my direct email (willskelvin@hotmail.com),By indicating
your interest and sending the following to us : Bank account
number/address/telephone,fax,telex,swift/code number/name of beneficiary
e.t.c.Note that the particular nature of your businessdoes not necessarily
matter in this transaction.

Thanks for your anticipated response.
Yours sincerely
Mr.Kelvin williams (RTD)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam