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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +229993076392 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "emeka yerima" <emeka_xxrollers009@legwork.com.ng>
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:12:14 +0100
Subject: From The Desk of Dr Romson Yakubu Yerima


From The Desk of Dr Romson Yakubu Yerima
Manager Bank of Africa Plc,
001 qz 1229 Akpakpa Dodomey
Cotonou Republic of Benin.
Contact On My Private Email (yakubuyds_rsons@live.fr)
+2299-9307-6392
Attn: Dear Beloved

I am (Dr Romson Yakubu) the bank manager of Bank of Africa Plc Cotonou
Republic of Benin
I will like to have a very brief business with you, there is a dormant
account in my bank with a credit balance of (USD$11.5) eleven million
five hundred dollars has been dormant for about five years now,
on my further investigation I discovered that the owner of account is a
foreigner (Mr.Thompson Bashlor) who died five years ago in a motor accident
along side his wife and two children, coincidentally but left no
information about his next of kin for the account because he was hiding the
source of the money from the government.
What I need from you is to use your name as the beneficiary and next of
kin to the original account owner and then I will use my position as
the Bank Manger to give Clearance and onward remission of the fund into
your nominated account.
I will supply you with all necessary information about the account,
which you will present to the bank through a lawyer, after the bank has
accepted your application then I will go ahead and destroy every
documents associated with this transaction and we will go ahead and share
the
money at the ratio 35% for your services to me, and 60% for me, the
remaining 5%will be set aside for any expenses incurred during this
transaction.

Please your urgent reply is highly needed so as to stop further
contacts, kindly include your full name, Home/office address, telephone and
fax numbers, Nationality, occupation and Age.
Thanks,
Best Regard,
Dr Romson Yakubu

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam