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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge amount 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 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.
  • +27722253106 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • mostafa10ibrahiem@yahoo.ca

Fraud email example:

From: mostafa10ibrahiem@yahoo.ca
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2006 01:38:08 -0800
Subject: URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED

FORM MR. MOSTAFA IBRAHIEM
ASSALAAM ALEIKUM
BEST REGARD


FOR MORE SECURITY REASONS, YOU CAN REACH ME WITH MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS(mostafa10ibrahiem@yahoo.ca)OR MY ARTONEYS NUMBER;+27 72 22 53 106.

URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED

DEAR Friend,

I AM ALHAJI TAJ MOSTAFA IBRAHIEM, THE FORMER PERSONNAL ASSISTANT TO THE LATE PALESTANIAN LEADER YESSER ARAFAT. I DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO CONTACT YOU ABOUT MY PRESENT STATE. NOT TAKING MUCH OF YOUR TIME, I HAVE BEEN IN HOUSE ARREST SINCE MY BOSS DIED AND AM REALLY IN A FIX NOW, EVEN MY FAMILY IS LIVING FROM HAND TO MOUTH SO I DESIDED I SHOULD DO THIS, MY BOSS KEPT SOME HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN A SAFE KEEPING SECURITY COMPANY IN JOHANESBURG SOUTH AFRICA. AND I ALONE AND MY ARTONEY KNOWS WHERE THIS MONEY IS. THIS IS SO BECAUSE HE TRUSTED ME AND MY ARTONEY WITH EVERY OF HIS THINGS WHEN HE WAS ALIFE, EVEN TO THE ESTANTE OF REGISTRING THIS MONEY IN QUESTION WITH MY OWN NAME.THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IS $25,000,000.00 USD,TWENTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY. AND AS MY CONDITION HAS BEEN KEPT LIKE THIS I DECIDED TO WRITE TO YOU THIS MAIL WITH MY LAP TOP.AS I HAVE ALREADY TELL MY ARTONEY ABOUT YOU,I NEED A FORIEGNER LIKE YOU TO HELP MY ARTONEY RETRIVE THIS MONEY.IT CAN BE EVE!
N TRANSFERED TO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR FU RTHER SHEARING.

I WILL OFFER 25% OF THE WHOLE MONEY TO YOU AS YOU HELP ME DO THIS TRANSACTION AND 5% OF THE WHOLE MONEY WILL BE USED FOR SETTLING OF ALL ESPENSIES INCOUNTERED IN THE PROCESS, THEN THE REMAINING 70% WILL BE KEPT FOR ME IN A WELL SAFE PLACE OF YOUR CHOICE, SO THAT IF I GET OUT SAFE FROM THIS PROBLEM I AM NOW, I WILL COME TO YOUR PLACE AND INVEST WITH THE MONEY IN A PROFITEBLE BUSINESS, BUT IF I DID NOT MAKE IT, DIVIDE MY OWN SHARE INTO 2 EQUAL PARTS, ONE PART WILL BE GIVEN TO THE OFFANAGE HOMES WHILE THE REMAINING ONE PART WILL BE GIVE TO MY FAMILY. PLEASE YOU WILL DO ME A BIG FAVOUR BY MAKING SURE THAT MY FAMILY RECEAVE THIS MONEY WITH THE HELP OF MY ARTONEY WORK CAN BE DONE.GIVE MY OWN PART TO MY FAMILY.

PLEASE DO NOT MIND MY ENGLISH AS AM NOT VERY GOOD AT IT.

LET ALLAH BLESS YOU AS YOU DO THIS FOR ME.
THANK YOU

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam