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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
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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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin 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.
  • michealsogbossi2@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "micheal sogbossi" <micheal_sogbossi_18@mail.mn>
Reply-To: michealsogbossi2@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 23:01:19 +0200
Subject: Act as Geoerge Reeve 's Next of Kin urgent


* FROM THE OFFICE OF MR MICHEL SOGBOSSI.*
**
*ATTN: Dear Trusting Friend, *
*It is nice meeting you this new year.
I pray that this email reaches you this blessed day in the best of health.
In this good year, I am presenting my best wishes to you and your family
with blessings, annioting, goodness and mercies. This letter may come to you
as a surprise due to the fact that we have not yet met and i promised you
will be gald meeting me soon. The message could be strange but it's real if
you pay some attention to it. I want to notify you about it at least for the
sake of your integrity.
In a brief introduction, I am (Sogbossi Micheal) the Director of Operation
with Continental Bank Benin Republic. I have an interesting transaction to
discuss with you if you may listen. The business under discussion has to do
with George Reeve a nationality of your country, who is a Consultant/
contractor with Societe Nationale Des Products D' Agricole (SONAPRA) Company
in Benin-Cotonou. I managed to get your contact details through the Internet
search myself because time is of importance to it and I am desperately
looking for a foriegner like you to assist me to pull this money out from
the bank before our corrupt government officials will confiscate the money.
On Thursday, December 25, 2003,George Reeve, his wife and their only
daughter were involved in Air-Crash near the Atlantic Ocean in Cotonou
suburb. For more clarifications, you can visit the CNN web news for the
tragedy.*

*http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash*<http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash>
*
*
*Since then I have made several inquiries to your Embassy in a bid to locate
any relation of George Reeve. All attempts to reach the next of kin of
George Reeve has been futile as he had no other family or relative living
deferent here in Benin Republic. Hence my deccision to contact you. I want
both of us to go into partnership, the nature of your business is completely
irrelevant to this transaction as all I need from you is an assurance that
my interest will be fully protected once this transaction is concluded. *
**
*George Reeve made a numbered time (fixed) deposited for twelve calendar and
his account with our Bank accrues to about (Four Million, Three hundred and
Fifty- Two Thousand US Dollars) $USD4.352M. According to the Benin Rep Law,
at the expiration of (Four years and 7 months) the money will revert to the
ownership of the Benin government if nobody applies to claim the funds. *

*Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand
in as the next of kin to George Reeve so that the fruits of this old man's
labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials who
will later use the money to sponsor war in Africa and kill innocent citizens
in the search for political power/seat. *

*Please note: that There will be no problem at all, with my position as the
Director of Operation guarantees the successful execution of this
transaction within 7 Banking days and the money will be paid into your
account for us to share in the ratio of 45% for you and 55% for me. This is
very simple, I will like you to reply immediately so that I can send you the
Text of application which you will fill and apply to the bank as the next of
kin to George Reeve and I will use my good position in the bank as the
Director of Operation to make sure that the application is approved, during
board meeting for immediate payment. If you are interested, reply
immediately at my private email adderss
(**michealsogbossi2@yahoo.fr**)*<michealsogbossi2@yahoo.fr)>
* so that we can proceed at once. Please also send to me your private
phone, or mobile numbers for easier correspondence. I look forward to
hearing from you soonest.
**Best Regards.

* *Michel Sogbossi *
**
**

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam