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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
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• 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 sum 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 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)
  • "await your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • jowens_1@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Johnson Owens" <m_city0@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: jowens_1@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2007 21:49:21 +0200
Subject: TREAT VERY CONFIDENTIAL & URGENT RESPONSE REQUIRED

Bills & Exchange Department
Irish Nationwide
Building, Bankcentre,
Ballsbridge,
Dublin, Ireland

Dear Sir

I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a huge sum of money from a deceased customer's account who On the 25th of July 2000, the deceased, Christian Eich, 57, an Engineer, his wife and two children and his wife's parents all perished in the jet. You can read through for more information via the following ; <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm>
Although I know that a transaction of this magnitude might make
anyone apprehensive,I would like to assure you that we are sending you this mail with the best of intensions.

Since then We have been trying to get this funds out of the bank, the sum of US$11,500,000.00 (Eleven Million, Five Hundred United States Dollars)in an account that belongs to our foreign customers who died along with his entire family in the above accident stated above.

Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir. We cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.Upon this discovery, we now seek your permission to have you stand as a next of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked out by us for the funds (US$11,500,000.00) to be released in your favour as the beneficiary's next of kin.It may interest you to know that we have secured from the probate court, an order of madamus to locate any of the deceased beneficiaries.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavour by furnishing me with the following;

1. Your Full Names and Address.
2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers.

These requirements will enable us file a letter of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the transfer can be made. We shall be compensating you with 1.5 Million Dollars on final conclusion of this project, while the rest shall be for us.Your share stays with you while the rest shall be for us for investment purposes in your country.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust we have bestowed in you, I await your urgent response to this email. You can as well reach me via:jowens_1@yahoo.co.uk

Regards,

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam