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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found 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: eric ohia <ericohia45@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 08:27:50 +0100
Subject: Dear Friend,



Dear Friend,
My name is MR ERIC OHIA, I work with a Commercial Bank Ltd as the Regional manager. I am 47years old with two kids. I have packaged a transaction that will be of mutual benefit to us. As the branch manager of a Bank Ghana , it is my duty to send a financial report to my head office in the capital city, Accra , at the end of each financial year. Following the release of the second quarter financial report, ending June 2007, I discovered that my branch made Five Millions of Dollars, from the transactions accruing to the account of the Inland Revenue Service (IRS). This was not detected by the renowned auditors from my head office. I have diverted the funds into what the bank call Escrow Call Account with no beneficiary. Meanwhile as you know I can not be directly connected to this money for obvious reasons. So my contacting you is for you to assist me receive this fund in your bank account in your country; which I know is possible if you liaise properly with me and get 35% of the total funds as your benefit. The transfer would be made via swift and it will be a Bank-to-Bank wired transfer. All I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of this fund. I will compute your particulars as the person who made the deposit in my branch, so that my head office will immediately order the transfer to your designated bank Account. Thanks for your understanding and co-operation. Please for your interesting contact me back.
While I implore you to maintain the absolute secrecy and confidentiality required in this transaction I am waiting for your positive response.Yours truly,MR ERIC OHIA
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam