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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "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.
  • martinidohou1@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: martin idohou <martinidohou21@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <martinidohu2@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:15:13 +0200
Subject: very private Letter



Dear Friend,I am Mr.Martin Idohou, an Accounting and Auditing director in charge of one of the Banks here in Benin Republic, .I will disclose the name of the bank to you when i hear from you.; I was the the account officer of Engr Aus.A.Abood,A Lebanese Contractor with the ministry of works and housing who unfortunately died in the plane crash of Union Transport Africaines Flight Boeing 727 in Cotonou,Benin Republic on the December 25,2003.You will read more informations about the crash on visiting this websites: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-12/26/content_293549.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3348109.stm Before his death on the 25th December 2003, Engr Aus.A.Abood had a fixed deposit account with the our bank and no other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it and the account has no other-beneficiary and my investigation proved to me that his supposed next of kin died along with him in the crash. Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives,this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts,I decided to contact you to assist in standing as the next beneficiary of the money left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.I therefore seek your consent to present you as the next of kin (BUSINES PATNER) of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at (US$12.8Million) can be transfered to you and then you and me can share the money 60% for me and 38% to you and 2% for contingences.I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.All I require is your honest Co-operation to enable us see this deal through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. If this proposal is acceptable to you, kindly email the following information to me:a.Your full namesb.Your company name/ if anyc.Private telephone numberd.Private fax numbere.Private email. F.AgeI await for your response.Pls reply to my private email address (martinIdohou1@yahoo.com ) Best Regards. Mr.Martin Idohou.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam