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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.

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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million us 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)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "top secret" (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 next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Stanley Yako" <stanleyyako47@mobimail.mn>
Reply-To: stanleyyako@voila.fr
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 02:29:35 +0000
Subject: From: Mr Stanley Yako


From: Mr Stanley Yako.
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
West Africa.

Dear Friend,

I know that this message will come to you as a surprise. I AM A SECRETARY TO
THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DIRECTOR in commercial bank here in Abidjan Cote
d'Ivoire. I Hope that you will not expose or betray this trust and confident
that I am about to repose on you for the mutual benefit of our both
families.

I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of ($7million US
dollars) to your account within 14 banking days. This account has been
dormant for years in our Bank without claim. I want the bank to release the
fund to you as the nearest person to our deceased customer, the owner of the
account died along with his supposed next of kin in an air crash since July
31st 2000.I don't want the fund to go into our Bank treasurer as an
abandoned fund. So this is the reason why i contacted you so that the bank
can release the fund to you as the next of kin to the deceased customer.
Please I would like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and delete it
if you are not interested.

Upon receipt of your reply, I will give you full details on how the business
will be executed and also note that you will have 35% of the above mentioned
sum if you agree to handle this business with me.

Best Regard.
Mr.Stanley Yako.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam