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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:
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • bhenry@inbox.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Thomas Okiki" <thomasokii@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: thomasokiki@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 06:26:28 -0700
Subject: From Thomas


Dear Business Partner,


My name is Thomas Okiki, the Chairman of Independent Committee on Unclaimed Foreign Funds (I.C.U.F.F),Senegal ICUFF is charged with the responsibility of finding foreign bank accounts abbroad belonging to our late citizens which have remained dormant/unclaimed over the years.It may interest you to know that In 2004, A list of dormant accounts originally owned by our citizens was and sent to our country's government.Some of these dormant accounts belonged to our late citizens of Senegal.



The continuing efforts of the Independent Committee on Unclaimed Foreign Funds (I.C.U.F.F) has since resulted in the discovery of additional dormant accounts,securities accounts, safe deposit boxes, custody accounts,non interest bearin g accounts. A routine notification has been sent from a security firm abroad to my office to make available the beneficiary for the claim of US$12.5 million belonging to one of our late citizens .


The depositor died several years back leaving no possible records for trace of heirs. I need a foreign partner to ASSIST claim this deposit as the beneficiary.You will be required to provide me with your details for the processing of the necessary legal, and administrative claim documents or your claim in the Security company abroad.Provide me with your full name,address, and telephone/fax.


SEEING IS BELIEVING.THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED.YOUR MAXIMUM COOPERATION NEEDED. I am pledging to give you some percentage of the total value of the said deposit for your assistance . I want you to immediately contact me and I will furnish you with more information about the process of transfer to you.


Thank you for your prompt response.
Thomas Okiki.

Email:bhenry@inbox.com.

N.B:Please respond with your full names, address, phone and fax numbers for the immediate start up of this transaction. Do note that who you are does not matter and you will be better informed when I hear from you.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam