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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
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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)
  • "escrow account with no beneficiary" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "it will be a bank to bank transfer" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "=?utf-8?q?Mr.Samuel=20Johnson?=" <mr.samueljohnson@yahoo.com.ve>
Reply-To: mr.samueljohnson@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:56:43 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: VERY URGENT


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:mr.samueljohnson@yahoo.com.ve

FROM MR.SAMUEL JOHNSON

- DEAR FRIEND,MY NAME IS MR.MICHAEL OWUSU, I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF BARCLAYS BANK GHANA LTD,OF DAKAR BRANCH IN THE WESTERN REGION OF TAKORADI.I WRITE YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD FAITH, I AM 45 YEARS OLD MARRIED WITH THREE KIDS. I AM A DEVOTED CHRISTIAN AND A MAN OF PEACE.I HAVE PACKAGED A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND ME,AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE BARCLAYS 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 BUSINESS YEAR.ON THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR 2007 BUSINESS REPORT , I DISCOVERED THAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE SEVENTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT THOUSAND, US DOLLARS ( $17,578.000.00 ) WHICH MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF.I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW ACCOUNT WITH NO BENEFICIARY.AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS MONEY, SO MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND GET 30% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AS COMMISSION.THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED, IT WILL BE A BANK TO BANK TRANSFER, AND ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO STAND AND CLAIM AS THE ORIGINAL DEPOSITOR OF THIS FUND WHO MADE THE DEPOSIT WITH MY BRANCH SO THAT MY HEAD OFFICE CAN ORDER THE TRANSFER TO YOUR DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT.IF YOU ACCEPT TO WORK WITH ME I WILL BE APPRECIATED. YOU CAN REPLY ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER,SO THAT WE MOVE OVER TO THE DETAILS.I WILL PROVIDE MY PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS ON YOUR REQUEST.THANK YOU IN ADVANCE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.YOURS TRULY,MR. MICHAEL OWUSU.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam