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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• 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:
  • "will 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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • denissmith3@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "denis smith" <denissmith200@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2008 09:12:47 +0000
Subject: Urgent Reply


*FROM:.MR. DENIS SMITH*
*No.15 Pickering .St Durban*
*SouthBeach.South Africa
TEL: 27-78-200 7985*
*E-MAIL:. **denissmith3@yahoo.com* <denissmith3@yahoo.com>* *
**
*Dear ,*
**
*I have picked-up the trust and courage to write you this letter with divine
confidence that you are a reliable and honest person who will be capable for
this important business transaction believing also that you will never let
me down either now or in the future.My name is DENIS SMITH a senior Auditing
Officer with the Prime Bank in South Africa.*
**
*There is an account opened in this bank in 1995 and since 1998 nobody has
operated on thisaccount again. After going through some old files in the
records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently it
would be forfeited to the government as dormant account.The owner of this
account is Mr. Duckson Fritz, a foreigner, he was a miner at Kruger Gold
Company, a geologist by profession, and he died since 1996 in a plane crash.
No other person knows about this account or anything concerning it, the
account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well
that this compa! ny does not know anything about this account and the amount
involved is (US$12 million) Twelve million United States Dollars.*
**
*I want to transfer this sum of Twelve million United States Dollars into a
safe foreign account abroad. I am contacting you based on the fact that you
are a foreigner because this money can only be approved for payment to a
foreigner.I know that this proposal will come to you as a surprise as we
don't know ourselves before.However I got your contact from a trade
consultant here in South Africa, though I did not disclose the purpose of my
seeking for a foreign business partner to him.Although we will still have to
meet to sign some agreement before the final transfer of the fund into any
of your designated bank account. I have involved a very senior official in
the operational department, and we have agreed that after the transfer of
the money into your account, you shall be entitled to 30% of the total sum,
my colleagues and I will have 60% while 10% ! will be used to reimburse any
expenses incurred.*
**
*All necessary precautions have been taken to ensure a risk free situation
on the side of both parties.Please note that this deal can only take place
on the following conditions;*
**
*1. You will provide the bank account and other relevantparticulars
information for easy and onward Remittance of the Twelve million USD.*
**
*2. Absolute confidentiality and sincerity will be required and guaranteed,
considering our positions in the bank.*
**
*3. Assurance that our own share will be released to us in good faith when
this money finally gets into your account.All things being equal, this
transaction will be within 10 working days as soon as we hear from you.*
**
*Please treat with utmost confidentiality. Contact me as quickly as possible
through my Email:**denissmith3@yahoo.com* <denissmith3@yahoo.com>* * *above
telephone.Expecting your urgent response,*
**
*Best Regards. *
**
*Yours faithfully*
**
*MR. DENIS SMITH*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam