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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:
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +22993170172 (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.
  • chrisbeto_2008@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: pastorchrisbeto@freenet.de
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:15:27 +0200
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF PASTOR CHRIS BETO


FROM THE DESK OF PASTOR CHRIS BETO
ACCOUNT MANAGER,ECOBANK
INTERNATIONAL
COTONOU THE FEDRAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN
CORPORATE
HEADQUARTERS


Good Day Sir/ Madam, I am Dr.George Adams, an Account
Manager in Ecobank Internatonal Benin Republic. A deceased customer of
the Bank, who hereinafter shall be referred to as my client, died as the
result of a heart-related condition on the 11 November 2001. His heart
condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the
Gulf Air Flight Crashes in Persian Gulf Near Bahrain Aired August 23,
2000 - 2:50 p.m.
ET as reported on
:http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/23/bn.08.html I have
contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my
client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank
where this deposit valued at TWELVE MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATES DOLLARS. ($12,800.000.00 USD). is lodged. This bank has
issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be
confiscated. My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present
you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, since you
have the same last name, so that the proceeds of this account can be
paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon
percentage. All legal documents to back up your claim as my client\'s
next-of-kin will be
provided. All I require is your honest cooperation
to enable us see this transaction through. This will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from many breach of the
law. If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept
my apology.I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the
utmost indulgence to keep this matter extraordinary confidential,
whatever your decision, while I await your prompt response. Please
contact me at once to indicate your interest.

You can also contact me
on my Direct line:+229-93170172
pls get back to me on this address
(chrisbeto_2008@sify.com) Best regards,
Pastor Chris Beto,
Account
Manager

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam