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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • sonia_bassey22@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "sonia bassey" <soniabassey10@latinmail.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 18:06:29 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Greetings From Sonia Bassey


From Miss Sonia Bassey,
Email: sonia_bassey22@yahoo.fr

My Dear One,

It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which i ,intend to establish in your country. Though I have not meet you before but I believe, one has to risk confiding in succeed sometimes in life.

There is this huge amount of ($ 15.500.000) dollars which my late father Albert Bassey kept for me with a Security Company in Abidjan Cote’d ivoire
before he was assasinated by unknown persons.Now I decided to invest these money in your country or anywhere safe enough outside Africa for security and political reasons.I want you to help me claim and retrieve these fund from the security company and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment purposes on these areas:

1). Telecommunication
2). the transport industry
3). Five star hotel

If you can be of an assistance to me i will be pleased to offer to you 10% Of the total fund.

I await your soonest response.
Respectfully yours,
Miss Sonia Bassey.

¡Miles de amigos con tus mismas aficiones! http://www.latinchat.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam