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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:
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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i would like to apply through this medium for your co-operation" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million us 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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Patrick Bamers" <pc2341@web.de> (may be fake)
Reply-To: pc2342@tiscali.fr
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2006 15:22:03 +0200
Subject: Good Day From, Patrick Bamers

Good Day

I would like to apply through this medium for your co-operation and to secure an opportunity to invest and do joint business with you in your country. i feel confident therefore to introduce myself and this offer to you based on this problem of war in my country.

I know that this proposal will come to you as a surprise but Please bear with me for sending this letter to you surprisingly. My name is Mr Patrick Bamers a 23 years young man originally of from KENEMA in Sierra Leone west Africa.

My sole purpose of contacting you is for you to assist me to claim and invest my inheritance 8.2million us dollars (EIGHT MILLION TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) deposited in a security company by my late father in Dakar Senegal in your country or elsewhere. I and my mother have proposed 20% percent of the total sum and 2% percent for any expenses incurred during the transfer for you.

I am presently living in refuge camp Dakar Senegal with my age mother who are the only survival of my family who was killed in my country Sierra Leone during the war, I and my mother run into Dakar Senegal where my late Father deposited the fund as a family treasure in a metteric sliver coded box. Please we are seeking for your assistance to help us claim the money and ship it to your country for investment.

As soon as i hear from you i will fax to you all the deposit documents of the money with the contact of the holding Company for you to instruct them to ship the money to you in your country.

Wish to hear from you soon.

Bye and God bless.

Yours truly.

Patrick Bamers.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam