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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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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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)
  • "escrow account with no beneficiary" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "it will be a bank to bank transfer" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: keycc28 elvis <keycc28@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: elvis00222@walla.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 18:33:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FROM..................


DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS MR.ELVIS MICHAEL, I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF BARCLAYS BANK GHANA LTD,OF DAKAR BRANCH IN THE WESTERN REGION OF TAKORADI.I GOT YOUR INFORMATION ON A RECENT BANK CONFERENCE WITH OTHER WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES HELD IN LOME THE CAPITAL CITY OF TOGO IN WEST AFRICA. I WRITE YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD FAITH, I AM 42 YEARS OLD MARRIED WITH TWO KIDS. I AM A DEVOTED CHRISTIAN AND A MAN OF PEACE.

I HAVE PACKAGED A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND I,AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE BARCLAYS BANK IT IS MY DUTY TO SEND IN A FINANCIAL REPORT TO MY HEAD OFFICE IN THE CAPITAL CITY ACCRA AT THE END OF EACH BUSINESS YEAR. ON THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR 2003 BUSINESS REPORT, I DISCOVERED THAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE FIVE MILLION, US DOLLARS($36.7, MILLION DOLLARS WHICH MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF.

I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW ACCOUNT WITH NO BENEFICIARY. AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS MONEY, SO MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND GET 20% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AS COMMISSION. THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED, IT WILL BE A BANK TO BANK TRANSFER, ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO STAND AND CLAIM AS THE ORIGINAL DEPOSITOR OF THIS FUNDS WHO MADE THE DEPOSIT WITH MY BRANCH SO THAT MY HEAD OFFICE CAN ORDER THE TRANSFER TO YOUR DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT.

IF YOU ACCEPT TO WORK WITH ME I WILL APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. YOU CAN REACH ME ON MY EMAIL AS APPEARED ON THIS MAIL IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE DETAILS.I WILL PROVIDE MY PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS ON YOUR REQUEST,THANK YOU IN ADVANCE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

YOURS TRULY
MR. ELVIS MICHAE

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam