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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:
  • "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • rayabu29@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: RAY ABU <re_1@live.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:15:10 -0400
Subject: Urgent

Sir/Madam,
rayabu29yahoo.com
My name is Mr Ray Abu ,chairman of contract award and monitoring committee of the ministry of industry and international trade development ,my duty as empowered by the Mauritius government is to provide the basic amenities, social recreational activities in urban and rural areas. This program includes assistance to deprived local communities and to co-ordinate projects and development at the national level.
Furthermore,from this projects were able to realize some reasonable amount of u.s.$21.8(Twenty one million eight hundred thousand US. dollars only) as commission from various contractors resulting from over invoicing of payment receipts/vouchers hence all the necessary approvals has been completed.
These approved funds were packaged and dispatched through a security company for onward delivery to its destination in Europe.The money was first deposited into a security vault before we arrange for its movement to Europe through diplomatic channel using decoy purporting that the fund belongs to an expatriate/company.
As we are government officials, the oath of office does are not allowed us to operate foreign bank account,hence we need you to stand as the beneficiary and claim the fund on our behalf from the security company. Presently I am now in Europe to search for a reliable person/company of high integrity /dignity and one with conscience who will claim this fund on our behalf as the beneficiary.We have
agreed to give you 30% of the total sum as commission for your assistance/effort and 5% will be used to settle every expenses incurred, we will use 65%to invest under your recommendation/guide and go into joint venture business with you . I would greatly appreciate your assistance and I look forward to your response as soon as possible through this e mail rayabu29@yahoo.com
Best regards,
Mr Ray Abu

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam