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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "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)
  • ",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)
  • "contract award committee" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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: gary cowen <gary05_falcon@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <garycowen_01@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 09:13:05 +0000
Subject: I SEEK YOUR CONSENT.



FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR,PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION UNITESKOM, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICAD/L: 0027-73-173-6226 GOOD DAY! SIR/MADAM,I KNOW THAT THIS PROPOSAL MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE, ESPECIALY HAVING TO COME FROM SOMEONE YOU HAVE NOT MET BEFORE, BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CO-OPERATE WITH ME SO THAT THIS US$35M USD WILL BE RELEASED AND TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. MY NAME IS MR GARY COWEN, THE DEPUTY ACCOUNTANT OF CONTRACT AWARD COMMITTEE OF ESKOM PTY LTD, SOUTH AFRICA. IT IS MY PROFOUND INTENTION TO CONTACT YOU FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT AND HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION FOR THE TRANSFER OF US$35,000,000,00 INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. THE US$35,000,000,00 WAS THE OVER ESTIMATED BALANCE FROM THE CONTRACTS AWARDED TO BOTH FOREIGN AND LOCAL CONTRACTORS, THE REAL CONTRACT VALUE WAS $120 MILLION DOLLARS BUT IT WAS OVER ESTIMATED TO US$155,000,000,00 (ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY). THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULY EXECUTED BY THE CONTRACTORS AND THEIR CONTRACT SUM OF (US$120M) HAS BEEN PAID TO THEM, LEAVING OUR OVER ESTIMATED BALANCE OF (US$35,000,000,00) THIRTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS STILL PENDING AT THE BANK. RIGHT NOW, I AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CONTRACT AWARD COMMITTEE OF ESKOM PTY LTD ARE LEFT WITH THIS OVER ESTIMATED BALANCE OF (US$35M) WHICH IS STILL FLOATING AT THE ESCROW ACCOUNT IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN RESERVE BANK, AWAITING FINAL PAYMENT TO ANY RELIABLE FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT YOU MAY PROVIDE.I AM THEREFORE ASKING YOU TO CO-OPERATE WITH ME SO THAT THE FUND WILL BE RELEASED AND TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PROPOSAL, YOU WILL EARN 30% OF THE FUND AS YOUR COMMISSION/COMPENSATION FOR YOUR ROLE IN SECURING AND TRANSFERING THE FUND TO YOUR ACCOUNT. WHEN THE FUND IS TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY, I WILL TRAVEL TO YOUR COUNTRY TO ARRANGE THE INVESTING OF MY SHARE IN VIABLE VENTURES IN YOUR COUNTRY. IF YOU ARE KEEN TO HANDLE THE TRANSACTION AND BE MY PARTNER, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEND ME THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: YOUR FULL NAMES: ----------------------------- YOUR OCCUPATION:----------------------------- YOUR ADDRESS:----------------------------- YOUR PRIVATE PHONE / FAX NUMBERS: -------------------------------- YOUR AGE -------------------------------------- REGARDS, GARY COWEN
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam