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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million american 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Eric lbrahim <eric_ibrahim2005@yahoo.ca>
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 13:40:59 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Read and Get back to me


Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Ibrahim Malik the general auditor International Commercial Bank Ghana Limited. I will go straight to the point of my mail to you and I do hope you will view it as a serious and an opportunity for us both. There is this floating fund, which is to the tune of Fifteen Million American Dollars (15,000,000.00 USD), which has been floating in an account here since 2000 after the death of the true owner of the funds. Late Mr. Morris Thompson, an American who was a private businessman. He unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261, which crashed on January 31st 2000, including his wife and only daughter. You can read more about the crash on visiting these sites below.

http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list

I just came across his file again when I was auditing all the credit Account in International commercial bank Ghana limited and I found out that not for once has anybody ever come on behalf of the Late Mr. Morris Thompson as his next of kin to claim the funds. Hence I have been monitoring this account since I discovered this information. In this case I have concluded to contact you, if you will be willing to execute this transaction with me, then I will instruct you on how to claim or stand as the next of kin to the late Mr. Morris Thompson, so that the funds could be reverted to your overseas A/C, that is if only you will co-operate with me and not to betray me at the end.

As soon as I confirm your interest and co-operation I will give you the guidelines on how you can transact with the bank for the approval of the funds to your account. As soon as everything is been put into place for the transfer I will apply for an annual leave to obtain a visa to travel to your country for my share of the funds. The sharing ratio of the funds will be 50% for me, 40% for you and the remaining 10% will be for expenses we will incurred during the transaction. I thank you for your understanding and I look forward to a favorable response.

Best Regards,

Ibrahim Malik


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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam