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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • kofi20@fsmail.net

Fraud email example:

From: Mr Kofi Afis <kofi20@zwallet.com>
Reply-To: kofi20@fsmail.net
Date: Sat, 01 Oct 2005 20:57:20 +0200
Subject: Urgent info


DEAR SIR,
I am Barrister.Kofi Afi, a solicitor at law and a personal
attorney to( Late Mr. Giulia A. Gaelle, A
foreigner ) here in after shall be referred to as my
client. My client worked as an independent contractor
to the Ashanti gold Company here Ghana. On the 21st of JANUARY 2002 my
client, his wife and their only daughter were involved
in a(BOMB EXPLOSION) unfortunately they were among
the casualties.

Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any
of my client's extended relatives
but
to no avail. I have contacted you to assist in
retrieving fund valued at Forty five Million five hundred United States
Dollars only ($US45, 500,000.00) left behind by my
client with a security deposit Company in (Madrid Spain)
before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable
by the security company where this amount is deposited.
Before his demise, he never motioned having any
relatives nor cousins. After several attempts to
trace any of his relative, I decided to contact you.
One fact and truth remains clear, that anybody I present to the
Finance company as his next of kin, shall inherit the
fund and it is based on this fact that I ask you to
get back to me immediately so that we will discuss on
terms of partnership in this issue so that I will
forward your name to the security company as his
legitimate next of kin
backed up with a sworn
affidavit of oaths from the magistrate court of
ghana.
Be advised that this transaction is confidential and
secret,as regard my legal status.
I will brief you more as soon as i hear from you.
Please get back to me through this e mail: kofi20@fsmail.net
Thanks
yours
Barrister kofi Afis
Esq. Principal Attorney,
Ghana

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam