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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "million 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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin 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.
  • soniacoope01@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: sonia_coop00@olloo.mn
Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:30:54 +0100
Subject: DEAR FRIEND.


DEAR FRIEND.



STRICTLY PERSONAL



I am Mrs Sonia Cooper, Head of Files/Records Department and Debt
Recovering Unit in the African Development Bank, Cotonou, Benin
Republic in West Africa.



Firstly, I must solicit your explicit confidence in this
transaction.This is by virtue of its nature as being utterly
confidential and top secret. However,after series of petitions have
been received by this regime from Foreign Contractors regarding the
inability of the African Development Bank to settle all outstanding
debts owed to Foreign Contractors, a committee (which I was the
head)was set up to carefully review all overdue debts owed to foreign
contractors and recommend for immediate release of such funds with
immediate effect.



During the investigation period, we discovered an abandoned sum of 35
Million (Thirty five million United States Dollars) belonging to a
German business magnate and propertyconsultant, Late Andreas
Schranner. The late Mr Schranner died in a plane crash on Monday, 31st
July, 2000 alongside his family members.



The BBC: website refers:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm



Since we got information over his sudden death the bank has made
frantic efforts to locate his reltions,but all attempts failed. The
bank cannot release this funds to anyone except it receives an
application from anybody who would stand as the next of kin or
business partner to the late customer.



It was based on this discovery that my collegues and I conceived the
idea of contacting you, based on the good recommendation given to me
by a friend who works with the chamber of commerce and industries
here. We do not want the funds to be shared by the board of directors
of the bank who may wake up one day to declare it "unclaimed funds".
We need your unflinching support and cooperation to have thefunds
transferred to your nominated bank account. Please, note that upon the
successful transfer of the funds to your bank account, you shall be
entitled to 25% of the total funds as your share. I shall at a
subsequent date come to your country to open an account where I will
deposit our 75% of the funds.



Having done a thorough feasibility study on how to perfect the
transfer of the funds to your bank account, your role shall be to send
an application for claim of the funds to the bank as a next of kin or
business partner to the late Andreas Schranner. I also would require
your contact address, telephone and fax numbers for easy
communication. Please, rest assured that the business is 100% risk
free.



Upon receiving your response to this proposal, I would be most obliged
to send to you a text of application for claim of the funds which you
will send to the bank. Please, bear in mind that with your strong
obedience to my guidance in thistransaction, the funds would be
transferred to your account within 14 working days.



I look forward to receiving your urgent response.



Best wishes,
Mrs Sonia Cooper
Call me with 00229 97071419
Email: soniacoope01@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam