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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:
  • "huge amount 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)
  • "million 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "lome togo" (a location commonly mentioned 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: Akol Akiwa <akol.akiwa38@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <akolakiwa@excite.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 10:34:59 +0000
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL FOR ME AND YOU.



FROM THE OFFICE OF MR AKOL AKIWA ,MANAGER TREASURY DEPARTMENTINTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKOF TOGO WEST AFRICA. STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
Dear:

I CANNOT IMAGINE THE SUPRISE THIS WILL BRING TO YOU,BUT BE REST ASSURED IT IS IN GOOD FAITH AND FRIENDLY INTENTIONS,FROM A FRIEND IN DEAR NEED OF YOUR ASSISTANCE ,BEARING IN MIND THE CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIRED IN THIS ABSOLUTE RISK-FREE BUSINESS.

I AM MR AKOL AKIWA , THE MANAGER OF THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK HEAD OFFICE IN LOME TOGO.

RECENTLY,WE DISCOVERED A DORMANT ACCOUNT WITH A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY VALUED USD 9,000,000.00(NINE MILLION US DOLLARS)THAT BELONG TO ONE OF OUR NUMEROUS CUSTOMERS MR CHOI SOOHYUN WHO PERISHED IN A PLANE CRASH(KOREAN AIR FLIGHT 801)WITH THE WHOLE PASSENGERS ABOARD ON AUGUST 6TH 1997.BELOW IS THE WEBSITE OF THE PLANE CRASH
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/06/guam.passenger.list/
SINCE THE DEMISE OF THIS OUR CUSTOMER,I PERSONALLY I HAVE WATCHED WITH KEEN INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN,BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE,AS NO ONE HAS COME TO CLAIM THIS FUND FOR A VERY LONG TIME.BECAUSE OF THIS WE HAVE DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN,AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO BE THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED TO DATE .
AS A CIVIL SERVANT WITH THE BANK AND A TOGOLES I CANNOT STAND AS A NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.IT IS UPON THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT I AND MY COLLEAGUES IN THIS DEPARTMENT DECEIDED TO CONTACT YOU TO COLLABORRATE WITH YOU TO PULL OUT THIS DORMANT FUND,WE HAVE IT IN MIND TO GIVE YOU A 25% OF THIS TOTAL FUND IF THIS PROPOSAL MEETS YOUR INTEREST, URGENTLY REACH ME THROUGH MY EMAIL ADDRESS OR TELEPHONE NUMBER TO ENABLE ME GIVE YOU THE FULL DETAILS OF THIS TRANSACTION AND HOW IT IS GOING TO WORK OUT.

WHAT I WANT FROM YOU IS FOR YOU TO ACT AS THE DECEASED NEXT OF KIN.AND IN REGARDS TO THAT FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO YOU AS SOON AS I RECIEVE YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE VIA,E-MAIL OR TELEPHONE.
ANTICIPATING YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.

BEST REGARDS,MR AKOL AKIWA .

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam