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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
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "confidentiality of this transaction" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: RICHEL RAMSON <richel09ramson@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <richel01ramson@terra.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 23:13:18 +0100
Subject: From Richel Ramson



>From Richel RamsonRue 6 BP 01 Cocody Abidjan Cote D Ivoire. Dearest One,

Compliments of the season,I apologize for approaching you in such a manner but circumstances forced me to contact you and I believe that you would be obliged to come to my assistance after hearing about my situation. I was formerly a medical student of the university of Abidjan, Cote d' Ivoire, the only surviving child of late Steven Ramson,my father was a politician and also very wealthy cocoa merchant based in Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast before he was poisoned to death by his business associates in one of their outing to discuss on a business. My mother died on June 1993, my father took me so special because I am motherless, before the death of my father on October 2006, in a private hospital here in Abidjan, he secretly called me on his bedside and told me many things including a sum of US$5,500,000(five million five hundred thousand, United States dollars) deposited in a suspense account with a bank in Côte d'Ivoire,that he used my name as the only daughter for the next of kin in deposit of the fund. Futhermore, he said that the environment was not conducive for me that they were after my life so I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose, (such as real estate management) and finish my education. I humbly need your assistance in the “following ways:1) To help get this money transferred to you.2) To serve as the guardian.3) To make an arrangement for me to come over after this money is transferred.4) To look for a good venture where the money will be invested. I am will compensate you for your effort after a successful transfer. Note that the confidentiality of this transaction would be highly appreciated in replying soonest. I await your response. Sincerely,Richel.
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam