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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "trunk box" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your country for safe keeping" (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)
  • "keep it confidential" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Celine Atta <celineatta@yahoo.fr>
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 10:51:19 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: From Miss Celine.


Dearest One,

Compliment of the season to you,I know that this letter will come to you as a surprise since we 've not met each other before,but please I beg you to treat it with love and care.

I am Miss Celine Atta from Abidjan in Republique of Cote d Ivoire.My late Father Atta Eric who was into cocoa/Cotton export,he died last year by food posioning which was later discovered that his business associates was after the plans.Before his death he deposited a big trunk box containing $8.6m (Eight million six hundred thousand united states dollar) with some other Family valuables in a security company here in Cote d' Ivoire.He deposited the box and declear it's content as African Art work belonging to his foreign partner who will be coming for the release the box and export it to abroad.

Please,I want you to focus your mind in this transaction for this is risk free;legal and Genuine affair.I am asking for your noble assistance and permission to submit your name as my late Father's foreign busines partner for release of this box and transfer / export it to your country for safe keeping and investing of this money. I beg you to please response to this email immediately with your Tel/fax numbers to enable me introduce you to the security company as my late father's foreign partner.

I have concluded to give you 15% of the total money after the release of this box for your noble assistance,while another 5% for all the expenses you will incure in the process of retriving this box and transferring it to your country where we will have access to the money. And note that this is my only hope of having a bright and secured future since I have lost all my beloved ones,you are the only person I am counting on now.Therefore try and keep it confidential to your self for the security of this money and my dear life.

NOTE: I contacted you because I don't have any knoweledge of business world and this money is too big for me to handle,more over I am only 21 years old,an undergraduate law student and I believe with God and your noble assistance I will live a happy life again.

Am waiting for your urgent and positive response.
Have a nice day,
Yours faithfully,
Miss Celine Atta



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam