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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a project that will be very beneficial to both of us" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united state 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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • andy_hsbc@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Andrew Gilbert <andybert_c@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: andy_hsbc@rediffmail.com
Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2008 18:06:51 -0800 (PST)
Subject: URENT ATTENTION!!!


FROM THE DESK OF: ANDREW GILBERT
HSBC BANK, KUALA LUMPUR
MALAYSIA.

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Andrew Gilbert the Director in charge of Auditing section of HSBC Bank Malaysia . Forgive my indignation if this message comes to you as a surprise. I have decided to contact you on a project that will be very beneficial to both of us. During our auditing in this Bank, I came across some amount of money belonging to a deceased foreigner Mr. Sheu Yuan-dong who died with his wife and their only daughter on February 16, 1998 in a plane crash. The fund has been dormant in his account with this Bank without any claim of the fund in our custody from his relation before my discovery to this development. He was the Governor of Taiwan Central (Reserve) Bank. The said amount is Sixteen Million and Six Hundred Thousand united state dollars (US$16,600,000.00).

I want you to know that I never master minded the death of the deceased fellow. Their death occurred naturally. Please View this website: http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9802/16/taiwan.crash.update2/

All the arrangement to put claim over this fund as the Bonafide next of kin to the deceased, has been put in place and directives will be relayed to you as soon as you indicate your interest and willingness to assist me and also benefit yourself to this great business opportunity. In this country as a civil servant (A Banker), we are not allowed to operate a foreign account.

This is the actual reason why it will require a second party or fellow who will forward claims as the next of kin to the Bank and also present a foreign account where he will need the money to be re-transferred into on his request. Our Banking law stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after (10 years), the money will be transferred into the Bank treasury as unclaimed funds. The request of foreigner as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner.

Upon your acceptance to carry on this task, more information will be made known to you, and the said fund will be share in the ratio of 60/40 %


Thereafter I will visit your country for disbursement according to the percentages indicated. Please you are advised to keep as a "top-secret" as I am still in service and intend to retire from service after I conclude this deal with you. I will fly down to your country or any place we shall agreed on for subsequent sharing of the fund according to percentages previously indicated and further investment will be discussed if there is any reason for that.

Upon your acceptance to this proposal kindly get back to me through my personal email address (andy_hsbc@rediffmail.com) and also furnish me with the requested information below.

YOU’RE NAME.........................

YOUR HOME ADDRESSES............

HOME TELEPHONE.....................

PRIVATE TELEPHONE.......................

I look forward to receive your urgent reply.

Yours Faithfully,

Andrew Gilbert.





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam