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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "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)
  • ",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)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +22997846889 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Christian Oyibo" <ohu090@msn.com>
Reply-To: <projects010@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 01:29:32 +0000
Subject: Mail From Dr. Christian Oyibo



Compliment of day

I wish to contact you personally for a business transaction of US$38,500,000 (Thirty Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) hopefully that you will respond positively to this offer. I need a reliable, honest and capable person who will be able to handle this transaction hence I am contacting you, and I believe that you will never turn down my request.


I am the Auditor General and Chairman of the Audit Committee, Heritage Bank of Commerce Cotonou Benin Republic. With your sincere assistant and co-operation, we can finalise this transaction, and be rest assured that this deal is worth taking and highly profitable.


At this moment, I will not issue the details of this transaction until your positive response is granted. For further correspondence regarding this business proposal, send your response to me for more details or ring me on +229 97 84 68 89 for further discussion on this.


Thanks for your attention.


Kind regards.

Dr Christian Oyibo
+229 97 84 68 89

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam