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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • "trunk box" (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)
  • "trunk boxes" (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)
  • "% will be for you" (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)
  • "keep this confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "spencer kwame" <spencerkwame4@biz.by>
Reply-To: kofi.tobore@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 17:48:50 -0700
Subject: Dear Friend


Dear Friend,

I am a Ghanaian by nationality but base in Sudan and because of the war in
Sudan
my dad company was destroy and my parent's were killed by rebel militants
who
invaded my dad company but my dad was able to reveal to me that he deposited
a
funds of an amount of $40 million USD in two safe trunk boxes with a
security
company in Ghana and he warned me that i should look for an elderly person
who i
will trust and will take me like his own son to protect and invest the funds
for
me until when i am of aged and now i have been able to locate the security
company here in my country Ghana and the security company director also
confirm
the genuity of the trunk box to me .

So now i am seeking for your assistant to help me to help me clear the
treasured
trunk box from the security company and have it deliver to you in your
country
for the funds inside it be invested into any lucrative business venture that
will yield us a better profit and for your acceptance to assist me 20% will
be
for your assistant, 1% have been laid down for reimbursement of any money
that
will be invested in the clearing of the consignment box from the company and
the
rest 79% will be for me which you will invest in your country and you are
also
liable to 5% of any profit gained at the end of each business year.

I also want you to know that my dad warned me never to reveal the content of
the
box to the company because he told me that he deposited it as a family
valuable
and i also want you to keep this confidential to your self , do not reveal
it to
any body and not even to the representative from the security company that
will
deliver the treasured trunk box to you in your country.

If you are willing to help me get back to me with your personal information
and
i will reply back to you with the deposit document of the box in the
security
company for your view which will also give you the legal permission to
contact
the company on my behalf as my legal beneficiary for further informations on
how
to receive the box in your country.
Am waiting to receive your quick reply.

Regards,
Kofi Tobore

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam