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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:

• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "trunk box" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "trunk boxes" (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 "dying merchant" 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.
  • rahmansheikh2000@netscape.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Al Sheikhk Rahman" <rahmansheikh2000@netscape.net>
Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2007 15:05:34 +0100
Subject: Re: CHARITY WORKS (DETAILS)



Re:LETS HELP THE LESS PRIVILEDGED
Dear Friend,

Greetings to you and Please permit me to introduce myself. I am Mr. ALSHEIKH
RAHMAN a Saudi National and a crude oil Merchant before I was diagnosed with esophageal
cancer which has defied all medical solutions and according to medical experts I only have a few more
months to live.

As you read this you do not have to feel sorry for me as it is a universal
truth that we all must die someday, the only problem with mine though being that I have particularly not
lived my life well in spite of my wealth and possessions as I never really cared for anyone (not even
myself) but my business.

Though I was very rich I was never generous, I was never caring about people
but only dedicated my time and resources on my business as that was the only thing I cared about. But
now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just
accumulating all the wealth in the world as I lay helplessly on my sick bed. If I was given a second
chance to live again I sure would live my life a different way from how I have lived it owing to what has
befallen me now. As my last days alive are drawing closer and closer I have already willed out most of my
properties and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends.
I also want my soul to be at peace with God and for him to be merciful on me
and accept my soul and to this regard I have resolved to give my remaining funds to charity
organizations as I want this to stand as one of the last deeds I indulge in on earth before I die. Though I
have already distributed money to some charity organizations, Now that my health has deteriorated so
badly I can no longer continue with this myself and also I do not trust my immediate family members or
close friends on this as Ihave once asked them to close one of my accounts and distribute the funds
therein to charity organizations in Bulgaria,Sri-Lanka India and Pakistan they greedily kept the money to
themselves. Hence I am contacting you with this as I have lost confidence in them because it is obvious
they are not contended with what I have left for them.

The last of my funds which no one knows of is a cash deposit of Eighteen
million U.S Dollars stashed in 2 trunk boxes and declared as Personal effects
of high security value which I have with a finance/Security Company in Europe. All I am asking of you is
to assist me in making the collection of this deposit and dispatching the funds to any charity of your
choice after keeping 20% of the funds for yourself and your family.10% of these funds should be to cover
any expenses that might be incurred in the process of making this claims.

Please contact me as soon as you get this email if you are capable and sincere to handle this transaction
on my behalf so I can forward you with all relevant documents necessary for the claims and the name of
the security firm where the funds are deposited.
God bless you as I await words from you. Please inform as soon as possible
if you are not interested so I can proceed to seek for someone else to carry out this on my behalf. Find
attached a picture of me along with this email for your perusal.

Please respond to me on this email address if you are willing to assist me,
rahmansheikh2000@netscape.net

May God Bless You.

Mr. ALSHEIKH RAHMAN

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam