419 scam: "Mr. Elliot Songoni" <elliotsongoni@bellesouth.net> Thank you

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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 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)
- "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)
- ",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)
- ",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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
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.
- +27732882575 (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.
- elliotsongoni@consultant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Elliot Songoni" <elliotsongoni@bellesouth.net>
Reply-To: elliotsongoni@consultant.com
Date: 29 Sep 2018 06:12:35 -0700
Subject: Thank you

REQUEST FOR PARTNERSHIP

ATTN: Dear sir/madam,

I am interested in your partnership in a business deal. This
business proposal I wish to intimate you with
is of mutual benefit and its success is entirely based on mutual
trust, cooperation and a high level of
confidentiality as regard this transaction.

I am representing the board of contract review and monitoring
committee of South Africa Consolidated
Copper Mines (SACCM). I am seeking your assistance to enable me
transfer the sum of
US$44,500,000.00 (Forty four Million, Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) into your
private/company account. The fund came about as a result of a
contract awarded and
executed for and on behalf of my Ministry.

The contract was supposed to be awarded to two foreign
contractors to the tune of US$80,000,000.00
( Eighty Million United States Dollars). But in the course of
negotiation, the contract was awarded to a
Bulgarian Contractor at the cost of US$124,500,000.00 (One
hundred and Twenty four Million, Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars),to my benefit unknown to
the contractor. This contract has
been satisfactorily executed and inspected as the Bulgarian firm
is presently securing payment from my
Ministry, where our Board is in-charge of all foreign contract
payment approval.
As a civil servant still in active government service, I am
forbidden by law to operate an account outside
the shores of South Africa. Hence this message to you seeking
your assistance so as to enable me present
your private/company account details as a beneficiary of
contractual claims and have the funds release to
you.On actualization, the fund will be disbursed as Stated below:

1). 30% of the fund will be for you as beneficiary

2). 70% of the fund will be for us.

All logistics are in place and all modalities worked out for a
smooth actualization of the transaction within
the next few working days of commencement.

For further details as to the workability of this transaction,
please reach me as soon as possible for further
clarification. I am currently in England for a senior management
course and most importantly to finalize
this transaction.

Details will be revealed upon the receipt of your mail.

Please, email me on receipt of this mail at:

E-mail:elliotsongoni@consultant.com

Tel: +27732882575
I await your urgent response.

Yours Sincerely,

ELLIOT SONGONI

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam