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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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: upeseku ahmed <upeseku_ahmed043@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <upeseku_ahmed@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:11:35 +0000
Subject: READ CAREFULLY AND KEEP TOP SECRET



FROM THE DESK OF MR.UPESEKU AHMED.AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING MANAGER,INTERNATIONAL BANK OF AFRICA,OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO,WEST AFRICA.http://www.bank-of-africa.net/TEL;00226-78172399 DEAR FRIEND, I AM MR.UPESEKU AHMED, THE AUDITTING MANAGER OF INTERNATIONAL BANK OF AFRICA BURKINA FASO.DURING MY INVESTIGATION AND AUDITTING IN THIS BANK, I CAME ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER WHO DIED ON 31ST JULY 2000 IN A PLANE CRASH AND THE FUND HAS BEEN DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK WITHOUT ANY CLAIM OF THE FUND IN OUR CUSTODY EITHER FROM HIS FAMILY OR RELATION BEFORE MY DISCOVERY TO THIS ISSUE.THE SAID AMOUNT WAS U.S$25,700, 000. (TWENTY FIVE MILLON SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS). MEANWHILE ALL THE WHOLE ARRANGEMENT TO PUT CLAIM OVER THIS FUND AS THE BONAFIDE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED, GET THE REQUIRED APPROVAL AND TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE. THE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND WILL REQUIRE A SECOND PARTY OR FELLOW WHO WILL FORWARD CLAIM AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE BANK AND ALSO PRESENT A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHERE THE FUND WILL BE RE-TRANSFERRED AFTER PAYMENT APPROVAL IS GRANTED. THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDLING HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH FUND REMAINED UNCLAIMED AFTER TEN YEARS IT WILL BE TRANSFERED INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND.THE REQUEST OF FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASSIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A BURKINABE CANNOT STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER. MOREOVER, I WILL NOT FAIL TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE. AND ON SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 40% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION, WHILE 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO TAKE CARE OF EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER AND ALSO TELEPHONE BILLS, WHILE 50% WILL BE FOR ME.I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE TRANSACTION HERE IN THIS BANK UNTIL YOU CONFIRM THE TOTAL FUND IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND I WILL COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR MY OWN SHARE OF THE FUND. PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY VIA MY DETAILS STATED BELOW FOR MORE CLARIFICATIONS.I AM URGENTLY WAITING FORYOUR REPLY. YOUR'S FAITHFULLY,MR.UPESEKU AHMED
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam