419 scam: "Eriq Potts"<natiatrade3@gmail.com> Re: Thanks for your response

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "to your nominated bank account" (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 trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "tanakamoyo328@yahoo.co.za" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +27865369750 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Eriq Potts" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tanakamoyo328@yahoo.co.za>
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2014 22:51:18 +0100
Subject: Re: Thanks for your response

Dear Friend am Eriq Potts ,

I write to inform you that the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma through his Minister of Finance, Mr. Pravin Gordhan, has ordered the immediate release and transfer of funds withheld from foreign contractors, suppliers, inheritors and beneficiaries by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and other parastatals as part of his Economic Reconciliation Agenda submitted to the G8 Summit.

To this regard, I, Mr. Eriq Potts of the Internal Audit Department of First National Bank request that you reconfirm to me your receiving banking details for the transfer of an outstanding and dormant sum of $7,900.000.00 which was withheld and have been in our suspense account due to tax and certification reasons and is now cleared for transfer to you via the First National Bank of South Africa (FNB).

I want to put you forward as one of our foreign suppliers thereby securing release of the funds to any account you will nominate. It will take my office 72 Hours to certify the funds transfer to your nominated bank account and a SWIFT Confirmation message of the transfer shall be sent to you by email attachment or fax to confirm availability of funds in your account. Alternatively the fund can be loaded in an Automated Teller Machine Debit Card ATM.

Between us, we shall split the fund 50% for you and 50% for me upon successful transfer. Kindly reconfirm the below details for me to start processing. The transfer is 100% risk-free and will be via bank-to-bank to avoid any breach of monetary policies in your country or mine.

Full Names:……………………………………………………………
Full Contact Address:……………………………………………….
Telephone Number:…………………………….........Fax:……………………
Occupation:…………………………………………………………
Date of Birth:………………………………………………………
Identification document (Please attach)………......Passport or Drivers license.All these that you have to forward to my private email address below

Looking forward to meeting you soon!!!

Eriq Potts( MBA-LON)
(Internal Audit Department)
First National Bank (FNB)
1 First Place, Bank City, Johannesburg 2014
TEL: 0027-307-228-338
FAX: +27-865 369 750
tanakamoyo328@yahoo.co.za

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam