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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
  (+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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "it will be a bank to bank transfer" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "there are practically no risks involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "samuel kwame" <samkwame11@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 25 May 2008 00:48:49 +0300
Subject: From: Mr Samuel Kwame


*From: Mr Samuel Kwame
Standard Chartered Bank
Koforidua Branch
Tel +233249102291*
**
*My Good Friend,

My name is Mr Samuel Kwame I am the regional manager of Standard Chartered
Bank Koforidua branch Ghana. I got your information on a recent evromiental
conference with other West African countries held in Lome the capital city
of Togo in West Africa. I write you this proposal in good faith; I am 42
years old married with two lovely kids.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and I, as the
regional manager of the Standard Chartered Bank it is my duty to send in a
financial report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end of
each business year. On the course of the last year 2007 business report, I
discovered that my branch in which I am the manager made Five million seven
hundred and twenty thousand united state dollars($5,720,000.00) which my
head office are not aware of and will never be aware of. I have placed this
funds on what we call escrow call account with no beneficiary. As an officer
of this bank I cannot be directly connected to this money, so my aim of
contacting you is to assist me receive this money in your bank account and
get 30% of the total funds as commission.

There are practically no risks involved, it will be a bank to bank transfer,
and all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of these
funds who made the deposit with my branch so that my head office can order
the transfer to your designated bank account.If you accept to work with me I
will appreciate it very much. My private phone number is above, call me if
you think we can work together so that we can go over the details. Thank you
in advance and May god bless you and your family.

Yours truly,
Mr Samuel Kwame*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam