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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)
  • "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "there are practically no risks involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Nana Boateng" <nanabgh375@me.by>
Reply-To: nanab78gha@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:31:52 +0100
Subject: Awaiting your reply


Dear Friend,

I hope this may not constitute sort of embarrassment to you, , My name is
Mr.Nana Boateng,I am the regional bank manager of the International
Commercial Bank of Ghana. I came to know you in my Private Search for a
reliable and reputable person to handle this Confidential Transaction.

I am 44years of age and married with 3 lovely kids. It may interest you to
hear that I am a man of PEACE and INTEGRITY; I only hope we can assist each
other. I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us,
as the regional Auditor General of the International Commercial Bank; it is
my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in the capital city
Accra at the end of each year.

On the course of last year 2006 end of year report, I discovered that an
excess profit of four million five hundred and fifty thousand dollars[US
Dollars 4,550,000.00] which my head office are not aware of and will never
be aware of. I have since place this fund on what we call SUSPENSE ACCOUNT
without any beneficiary.

As an officer of the bank I can not be directly connected to this money,
this is why I.m contacting you for us to work so that you can assist and
receive this money into your bank account for us to SHARE. The sharing of
the fund are thus: 45% for you 45% for me and the remaining 10% for any Tax
or Vat expenses incurred in this transaction.

Note that there are practically no risks involved in this transaction as it
is 100% risk free and legally bonded, it will be bank to bank transfer, all
I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of this fund who
made the deposit with Takoradi branch so that my Head office can order the
transfer to your designated bank account.

Do not make undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed on you, and I
assure you we can achieve it successfully.

Best regards,

Mr.Nana Boateng

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam