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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:
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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:
  • "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)
  • "hundred thousand us 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Giovanni Berlusconi <gioberlu35@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <gioberlu2007@yahoo.it>
Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2007 20:04:59 +0100
Subject: Good day Knutson




Dear Colleague & Partner, Date: 05/Aug/2007 From: Signor. Giovanni Berlusconi Good day to you, Dear Knutson, I am contacting you because i am looking for a relative of Mr. Alex Knutson. He died in a plane crash last year. He had an offshore account with our bank that has a balance of US$11.5 Million dollars. Eleven Million Five hundred thousand us dollars.I am trying to contact anybody close to him a cousin, nephew, brother,sister, aunt etc. So that he/she can apply as next of kin and collect the inheritance. Which will be paid by Wire transfer to your personal account. I want a percentage of 20% For assisting you collect the funds. Because I have the file here with me. Please send me your full name, address and phone number so that i can check our records in the bank and see if it is possible for you to claim the funds.. Send me an email anytime. We want to get the payment taken care of as soon as possible so contact me now. So that we can begin with the payment process. Thank youGiovanni Berlusconi Respectfully submitted,Mr. Giovanni BerlusconiForeign Funds Officer
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam