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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Ali Kareem" <ali_kareem01@latinmail.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 10:55:45 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: OUR OPPORTUNITY-PLS CALL ME IMMEDIATELY



FROM THE DESK OF MR.ALI KAREEM.
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING MANAGER,
BANK OF AFRICAN ( BOA)
OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO,
WEST AFRICA.

DEAR FRIEND,

I AM MR.ALI KAREEM,THE AUDITTING MANAGER OF BANK OF AFRICAN BURKINA FASO.DURING MY INVESTIGATION AND AUDITTING IN THIS BANK,I CAME ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON WHO DIED ON 31ST OCTOBER 1999 IN A PLANE CRASH AND THE FUND HAS BEEN DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK WITHOUT ANY CLAIM OF THE FUND IN OUR CUSTODY EITHER FROM HIS FAMILY OR RELATION BEFORE MY DISCOVERY TO THIS ISSUE.THE SAID AMOUNT WAS U.S$13.7M (THIRTEEN MILLON SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam