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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:
  • "huge sum of money" (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 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: muktaaziz001@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:57:39 -0800 (PST)
Subject: From:MUKTA AZIZ


From:MUKTA AZIZ
Bills & Exchange Manager
BANK OF AFRICA(BOA)
BURKINA-FASO WEST AFRICA.

I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a huge sum of money from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day. We decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.
PROPOSITION;

We discovered an abandoned sum of $30M(Thirty Million United states Dollars) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family.
Since his death,none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir.

We cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines. Upon this discovery, we now seek your permission to have you stand as a next of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked out by us for the funds $30M(Thirty Million United states Dollars) to be released in your favour as the beneficiary's next of kin. It may interest you to note that we have secured from the probate an order of madamus to locate any of deceased beneficiaries.

1. Your Full Names and Address.
2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers.

These requirements will enable us file a letter of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the transfer can be made. We shall be compensating you with 40% on final conclusion of this project, while the rest shall be for me. Your share stays with you while the rest shall be for us for investment purposes in your country. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust we have bestowed in you, I await your urgent email.
Regards,
MUKTA AZIZ
+226 7507 0882

BANK OF AFRICA(BOA)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam