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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:

• 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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "with absolute secrecy" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
• 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.
  • george_francois1@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: george francois <george_francoisq54@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <francois_george12345@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:27:46 +0000
Subject: From The Desk of Mr GEORGE FRANCOIS.



>From The Desk of Mr GEORGE FRANCOIS.
Chief Auditor,African Development Bank Burkina Faso West African.Phone: (+226 78043538)Private Email: george_francois1@yahoo.fr
Dear Sir/madamI apologize if the contents in this mail are contrary to your moral ethics, which I feel may be of great disturbance to your personal life, But please treat with absolute secrecy and personal. I pray that this email reaches you in the best of health. l am (Mr GEORGE FRANCOIS) the Chief Auditor, with African Development bank (ADB) Burkina Faso West African. One of our customers Engr Ron Morris, with his entire family were among the victims of December 25, 2003 Air-Crash. For more about the Air Crash you can visit the CNN web news for the tragedy. http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/ Before his death, he has an account with us valued at Ten Million, One hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand US Dollars ( USD 10.183M).According to the Burkina Faso Law, at the expiration of Three years if nobody applies to claim the funds a grace of thirty (30) days will be given before the money will revert to the ownership of the Burkina Faso government.
My proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin or Distant Cousin for us to claim this money, so that the fruits of this old man's labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials who will later use the money to sponsor war in Africa and kill innocent citizens in the search for political power.
Please note that there will be no problem as my bank has made all effort through to reach for any of his Relation but all was fruitless. My position as the Chief Auditor in this bank guarantees the successful execution of this(Deal) transaction.This money will be shared on agreed percentage which must be written in the agreement of personal trusteeship, once the funds is transferred to your account in your country or anywhere else. If not interested please destroy the mail because of the confidentiality attached to it.I promise that this transaction will be done under a legitimate arrangement that will protect both of us from any breach of the law.lf you are interested and wish to assist me please contact me with the below information: Mr GEORGE FRANCOIS.
Telephone:(+226 78043538)email : george_francois1@yahoo.frAwaiting your soonest response today. Best Regards.Mr GEORGE FRANCOIS.
(Chief Auditor)
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam