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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22997591439 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • oceanic_atmcard@sify.com

Fraud email example:

From: johnmark1@freenet.de
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:31:02 +0100
Subject: CONTACT OCEANIC BANK


DEAR FRIEND,

HOW ARE YOU TODAY TOGETHER WITH YOUR FAMILY AND
BUSINESS?

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT
$1.250.000.00 USD ON YOUR NAME.
HOWEVER, KINDLY CONTACT OCEANIC BANK IN
POSSITION TO RELEASE YOUR ATM PAYMENT CARD.

OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL
PLC.
DR. KENNETH WILLIAM,
PHONE: +229-9759-1439.
EMAIL:
oceanic_atmcard@sify.com
THIS IS WHAT THEY NEED FROM YOU, SO KINDLY
CONTANT THEM WITH YOUR FULL INFROMATION AS LISTED BELOW
1.FULL NAME
....................
2.ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD
..
3.PHONE NUMBER ..................................
4.YOUR AGE
.....................................
5.CURRENT OCCUPATION
.............................
6.ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION
.........................
LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS YOU CONTANT THEM, TO
ENABLE ME FOLLOW UP ON YOUR BEHALF.
REGARDS,

JOHN MARK






Unbegrenzter Speicher, Top-Spamschutz, 120 SMS und eigene
E-MailDomain
inkl.
http://office.freenet.de/dienste/emailoffice/produktuebersicht/power/mail/index.html

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam