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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 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.

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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:
  • "huge amount 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)
  • "million us 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +447031849537 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • alexbowen4@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Alex Bowen Esq."<alex400bowen@excite.com>
Reply-To: alex700bowen@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2007 08:20:16 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: REQUEST FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP


Alex Bowen99 Bishops Gate, 10th Floor London EC2R 7DH, England. Tel: +44 7031849537Email: alexbowen4@myway.com Dear Partner, REQUEST FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP This mail will definitely be coming to you as a surprise, but I must crave your indulgence to introduce myself to you, am Barr. Alex Bowen, Legal Practitioner, based in London. However I got your contact through the International web directory. During a recent investigation, reconciliation and auditing of a London based Bank account, they discovered a dormant account with a huge amount of Money Valued US$50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million US Dollars Only) that belongs to one of my late Clients, Mr. Norman R. Vinsen, from Beverwijk, Netherlands, who died with his family in a plane crash 14 years ago. So the fund has been dormant in his account with London bank based Office in London without any claim of the fund, from his family or relation before now. Their discovery to this development warranted them to contact my chamber as
Attorneys to the their late customer. The Banking law here stipulates that if such money remains unclaimed all these years, it will be forfeited to the Bank Treasury as an unclaimed bill. It is only a foreigner that can stand as a next of kin and it is upon this discovery that I decided to contact you to collaborate with you to pull out this dormant fund. In order to avert this negative development, going through my archives, I now remembered and brought out the last will of my late client where he was yet to fix in the name of the next of kin to the account. I now seek your permission to fix in your name in the WILL which I will redraft and have you stand in as next of kin to Norman R. Vinsen, so that the fund will be released and paid into your account as next of kin since the bank has requested me to present his WILL for transfer of funds to his next of kin. I could have done this deal alone but because of my position as his Attorney and due to the need to have a
confidential dealing with someone far away from United Kingdom as any thing otherwise would eventual raise an eye brow on my side during the time of transfer. I will also get a Letter of Administration/Affidavit in your name for the legal transfer of the funds to you. However, on smooth conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to 40% of the total fund, while the remaining 60% will be for me. What I want from you is for you to act as the deceased next of kin. Bear in mind that this proposal is 100% risk free and transfer will be legally done. kindly forward the following information in your reply mail: 1. Your full legal names, contact address, direct phone and fax numbers 2. Your occupation, date of birth, sex and marital status as well as copy of your identification (International passport or driver's license copy). Further information will be given to you as soon as I receive your positive response. You must assure me to keep this correspondence and transaction
absolutely confidential before we can partner together. Please reply me to Email: alexbowen4@myway.com Best Regards, Barrister Alex Bowen Email: alexbowen4@myway.com

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam