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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • dallahmed@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Ahmed Abdalla" <dallahmed20@netscape.net>
Reply-To: dallahmed@netscape.net
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:12:21 +0200
Subject: URGENT CONTACT FOR BUSINESS ASSISTANCE!!!!!!


Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Mr. Ahmed Abdalla, Director and Board Member, Transparency International, Kenya. I got your email address from the web directory so I decided to contact you.

We are interested in diverting some funds currently floating in the suspense account of the federal pay office to your account as soon as possible.

Source of the funds are:

During the Arap Moi's government, government's officials awarded contracts to their own companies; these contracts were grossly over invoiced. Now the present government set up contract review panel to settle those owed outstanding amount. My colleagues and I have identified a huge amount totaling US$ 370m (Three hundred and seventy million us dollars) oversea.

We would want US$20.8m (Twenty million Eight Hundred Thousand) dollars out this money oversea transferred to your account because we are not eligible to operate foreign account, and I have been mandated to search for a partner abroad. We really want this transfer made as soon as possible before the governments, who have started refunding money from Moi's foreign accounts track this money. We will be offering 40% for your assistance.

If you would want to proceed with this transaction please reply with your name and phone number to (dallahmed@netscape.net) and if you do not accept my offer please treat with utmost confidentiality.

For more information check and browse carefully all the links in the website below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3324369.stm

Best Regards,

Mr. Ahmed Abdalla,
Director & Board Member, Transparency International,
Kenya.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam