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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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• What can you do when you receive 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • +22508006902 (Cote d'Ivoire, probably a 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.
  • geomesah01@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: geomesah01@yahoo.fr
Date: 29 Jul 2006 20:34:35 +0200
Subject: Reactie op je advertentie bij Homo.nl Dating

geomesah01@yahoo.fr
From; Master George Mesah
Email: geomesah01@yahoo.fr
Tel; 225 0800 6902.

Dearest one,

PLEASE DO REPLY ME WITH THIS PRIVATE MAIL: geomesah01@yahoo.fr

It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I intend to establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I believe one has to risk confiding in his fellow human being to succeed sometimes in life. I want to confide on you for a brighter future since you are a human being like me.
There is this huge amount of Fifteen Million five hundred thousand United States dollars ($15.500.000.00) which my late father deposited with a Bank here in Abidjan Cote D'ivoire before he was assassinated by unknown persons. Now I decided to invest this money in your country or anywhere safe enough for security and political reasons.
I need you to help me claim and retrieve this fund from the Bank and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment purposes.
You will assist me in the investment project while I continue my education because my education stopped abruptly due to the death of my Father. Naturally I am Gay but unknown to my father till his death and it is because of this that I decided to contact you as my fellow gay to assist me in this project. We can have a lot to share in future.
If you can be of assistance to me, I will be pleased to offer to you 10% of the total fund as compensation and another 5% which will cover all your expenses during the transaction.
You can call me for more explanation on this number: 00225 0800 6902
I await your soonest response.

Respectfully yours,
Master George Mesah.
PLEASE DO REPLY ME WITH THIS PRIVATE MAIL: geomesah01@yahoo.fr

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam