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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:
  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:
  • "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)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +22993809518 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Evangelist Felix Hodonou <hevangelistfelix@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: h_evangelistfelix@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 04:12:44 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Can You Handle This Project?


Beloved.

I am Evangelist Felix Hodonou,of Faith Ministry Cotonou Benin Republic,but I hale from Ashanti kingdom of Ghana.However i got your contact through this sick Woman Mrs Comfort Whisky, from Sierra Leone.

For more self introduction and how i got to know the Woman,We are in charge of visiting sick people in the Hospitals for prayers. So few days back, we went to the general hospital here to visit the sick people, pray for them . In the course of this divine service, I came across this woman who has been admitted in the hospital for cancer since August 15th 2007.

So after the prayers, she called me and disclosed something important to me which she believe I can assist her. So according to her the late husband deposited in a Finance Firm $4.5 Million Dollars. But because of her health condition, she has asked me to assist her contact you,so that the Finance Firm can transfer the funds into your account on her behalf for investment, encase she recovers she will relocate to your country.

According to her she got your contact through her late Husbands contact directory,so based on that she can trust you. Again I and you should team up to use the money for humanitarian and charity service by distributing the money to the motherless homes, and sick people in the hospitals/less privilege people that needs help encase she did not survive. This Woman and the late husband ran down to Cotonou Benin republic west Africa for refugee till date because of out break of War in there Country years back.

So as a poor person like me but not poor before God and heaven am now in charge of this responsibility believing that I can trust you aswell to handle this project with me according to her 40% will be set aside for our assistance, 60% for the project.I need you to confirm to me your ability to handle this opportunity with total sincerity in your return mail to me and aswell attach to me your details as stated below.

1.Your Full Names

2.Your Age/ Sex

3.Your Marital Status

4.Your Occupation

5.Your Mobile Numbers

6.Your International Passport/Working ID/Driving Lincence.

Thank you and May God bless you.

Yours faithfully,

Evangelist Felix Hodonou
+229-93-80-95-18


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam