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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
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "please indicate your interest" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "confidentiality of this transaction" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a orphan 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.
  • john_ngasi041@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "john ngasi" <johnngasi@klikni.cz>
Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 13:18:33 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY


GOOD DAY

Email Address john_ngasi041@yahoo.com

I know that my message will come to you as a surprise since I don't know
you in person or met with you before, but I am of the believe that you would
be obliged to come to my assistance after hearing about my situation.

I was, until recently, a Medical student of the University of Abidjan,
Ivory Coast West Africa.I am the only child of late Mr Frederick Ngasi. My
father was a very wealthy cocoa merchant based in Abidjan, the economic
capital of Ivory Coast.

He was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their outing
to discuss on a business last year. When my mother died on the October 1988,
my father took me so special because I am motherless. Before the death of
my father last year, in a private hospital here in Abidjan.
He secretly called me on his bed side and told me that he has a sum of US$
9,500,000 left in account in a bank here in Abidjan, that he used my name
for the next of kin in deposit of the fund. He also explained to me that it
is because of this wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates.
1)I am honourably seeking your assistance to provide a bank account where
this money will be transferred to.
2)You will serve as the guardian of this funds since I am a boy of 20 years.
3)You will make arrangement for me to come over to your country after the
money has been transferred to you.I have plans to do investment in your
country, like real estate and industrial production. This is my reason for
writing to you. Please if you are willing to assist me please indicate your
interest. I am willing to offer you 15% of the total sum as compensation for
your effort/input after this successful transfer of this fund to your
nominated account overseas.
Finally if you have any question as regards this transaction, so that I will
send you documents of this fund. Note that the confidentiality of this
transaction would be highly appreciated in replying soonest.

Thanks and best regards.
John Ngasi

Email Address john_ngasi041@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam