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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Pastor Mark Dickson <markdickson@pmark.zzn.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:27:33 -0400
Subject: Remain blessed in the Lord

Dear Beloved

DONATION FOR CHARITY WORKS.

May God be with you and richly bless you as
you read this without
prejudice. Amen!

I am Pastor Mark Dickson, from Cotonou in the
Republic of Benin and a lawyer by profession. To the Glory of God, I
was priviledged to be a close friend and confidant to a late brother
in
Christ Rev. Jeff Ferguson, who worked tirelessly both in his
private life and in the service of God in his lifetime before his
devine
call. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen!

In all my association with this late brother and
friend, this revelation, the object of this mail was never
made known to me because the late Rev. Jeff Ferguson lived a very
disciplined life. He was wealthy before he went into ministry and
adequately provided for his family and also cared for people who were
opportuned to come in close contact with him.

However, shortly before his call to eternal Glory,
he had summoned me to his sick bed and made me promise to carry
out his last wishes as a trusted friend and confidant. I promised
without
knowing what he was about to say and also, at the time, I believed he
was not going to die. Well, he told me he had some funds which
he registered with a security company as a consignment, which he
intended to be used for charity,ministry, evangelical work or
otherwise
when he was gone, but did not want his immediate family to know
about for fear of subversion of his promise and pledge to God.

He then prayed for me and blessed me trusting that I would not subvert
his pledge to God. Before he died, he gave me information concerning
the fund and what I was to do. With all due respect to him, I waited
for the completion of the burial rites and mourning and other sundry
matters concerning him before proceeding to reach you.

I have prayed concerning this issue for God's
guidance and if in your heart you geniunely desire to use this fund
for
charity work in any form whether for orphanage , ministry,
evangelical work or otherwise in relation to God's work, do get in
touch with me and let us pray together over this before we can make
further
arrangements.


God bless you once again and as you receive,
give God all the Glory.

Yours in the Lord,

Pastor Mark Dickson

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam