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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:
  • "million united state 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "very 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: sam.okudzeto620@gmail.com
Reply-To: princewalter_tarawally@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:38:09 +0000
Subject: From: Mr. Sam Okudzeto


From: Mr. Sam Okudzeto
Director Bills & Exchange
BANK OF GHANA .

Good day,
I am Mr. Sam Okudzeto, the Director Bills & Exchange . I personally
discovered a dormant account with a total sum of $39,000,000.00 (THIRTY NINE
MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS) during our Bank's Annual Year Account
Auditing.
The owner of this dormant account died on 5th Jan 2005. Since the death of
the deceased, nobody has operated in this account till date. Moreover, this
account has NO BENEFICIARY attached to it. Definitely, this fund will be
confiscated by our BANKING CODE OF ETHICS if it remains dormant for a period
of (3) years without any claims. In this regard, I earnestly need your full
cooperation in transferring this dormant fund out of our bank to avoid
confiscating this fund. I will split the transfer into two 2 stages for easy
and smooth transfer.
First, I will transfer $9,000,000.00 to any valid foreign account you will
nominate, upon a successful transfer without any disappointment from your
side, I will then fly to meet you in your home destination for sharing, and
thereafter we jointly transfer the remaining balance of $30,000,000.00 for
magnitude investments.
If you are willing to cooperate in this project, I will give you details
immediately as soon as I hear from you. Please note that you are required to
keep very confidential

Yours truly,
Mr. Sam Okudzeto
Director Bills & Exchange
BANK OF GHANA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam