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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:
  • "dear friend" (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)
  • ",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)
  • "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "there are practically no risks involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Mr George Mensah <mr_30george@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: george_30mensah@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 04:47:58 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Please get back to me


Dear Friend,

I hope this may not constitute sort of embarrassment to you, My name is Mr.George Mensah,I am the regional bank manager of the Barclays Bank Ghana Ltd.I came to know you in my Private Search for a reliable and reputable person to handle this Confidential Transaction. I am 45 years of age and married with 3 lovely kids. It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and INTERGRITY; I only hope we can assist each other.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us, as the regional Auditor General of the Barclays Bank Ghana Ltd.; it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end of each year.

On the course of last year 2007 end of year report, I discovered that my branch in which I am the manager made an excess profit of five million united states dollars (US$5,000,000.00) which my head office are not aware of and will never be aware of. I have since placed this fund on what we call ESCROW ACCOUNT without any beneficiary.

As an officer of the bank I can not be directly connected to this money, this is why I.m contacting you for us to work so that you can assist and receive this money into your bank account for us to SHARE. I will offer you 20% of the total amount for your assistance.

Note that there are practically no risks involved in this transaction , it will be bank to bank transfer, all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of this fund who made the deposit with Takoradi branch so that my Head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account.

Do not make undue the advantage of the trust I have bestowed on you, and I assure you we can achieve it successfully.

Best regards
Mr.George Mensah


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam