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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: mark white <mark_white17@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <markwhite_5@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 18:56:57 +0200
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED



DR MARK WHITE
BANK OF AFRICABURKINA FASOOUAGADOUGOU_BURKINA FASO
DEAR FRIEND,

I KNOW THAT THIS MAIL WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE. I AM THE BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER IN BANK OF AFRICA BURKINA FASO. I HOPED THAT YOU WILL NOT EXPOSE OR BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THAT I AM ABOUT TO REPOSE ON YOU FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF OUR BOTH FAMILIES.

WE NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF $22.5MILLION IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR ACCOUNT. THE MONEY HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR YEARS IN OUR BANK HERE WITHOUT ANY BODY COMING FOR IT. WE WANT TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEAREST PERSON TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER(THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT)WHO DIED A LONG WITH HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN IN AN AIR CRASH SINCE JULLY 2002.

WE DON'T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK TREASURY AS AN ABANDONED FUND. SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY I CONTACTED YOU, SO THAT WE WILL CAN RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEAREST PERSON TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER. PLEASE WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP SECRET AND DELETE IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED.

UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL SEND YOU FULL DETAILS ON HOW THE BUSINESS WILL BE EXECUTED AND ALSO NOTE THAT YOU WILL HAVE 30% OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED SUM IF YOU AGREE TO TRANSACT THE BUSINESS WITH ME, 10 % WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURRED DURING THE BUSINESS, I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS HITCH FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY ATOM OF FEAR.
I EXPECT THAT YOUR REPLY FOR MORE DETAILS IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER.
YOURS FAITHFULLY DR MARK WHITE
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam