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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• 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.
  • +22993488281 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "OFFIICE FILE" <offiicefile0077@ig.com.br>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:27:43 +0200
Subject: From Mr.Frank Williams.


My Dear Friend,



I wish to inform you that this letter is not a hoax mail and I urge you to
treat it serious because I believe it is only a day that people meet and
become great friends and business partners. My name is Mr.Frank Williams the
present branch Manager of a Bank here in Benin. I write you this proposal in
good faith, believing that I can trust you with the information I am about
to reveal to you.


Like I said, I have a transaction that will benefit both of us, your
assistance is required as a foreigner. As I resumed duty, I discovered an
account with total sum of 4.900.000€ (Four Million Nine Hundred Thousand
Euros) that has not been operated for the past years.


From my investigation, I found out that this account belongs to one late Dr.
Jack Hartman a great industrialist and a resident of Guinean Conakry, who
unfortunately lost his life along with his entire family.


The account has no other beneficiary because I have kept a close monitoring
of the account since then and nobody has come forward to ask about the money
as next of kin to the late Jack Hartman meaning that no one is aware of the
account. I cannot directly take out this money without the help of a
foreigner and that is why I am contacting you for an assistance to claim the
funds and share it with me.


As the Manager of my Bank Branch, I have the power to influence the release
of the funds to any foreigner that comes up as the next of kin to the
account, with the correct information concerning the account, which I shall
give you.


I am seeking your co-operation to present you as the next of kin to the
account, so that my Bank will release the funds to you. There is practically
no risk involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law.


If you accept to work with me, I want you to state how you wish us to share
the funds in percentage, so that both parties will be satisfied.



Meanwhile: Send your Contact details as listed below for my personal
records:



Your Full Name:..................
Age:...................
sex:....................
Occupation:............
Residence Address:.......
Phone Number:...........
Country:..............


Contact me as soon as you receive this message if you feel we can work
together, so we can go over the details.



Pls Reply Via My Private Email:



(fwilliams229@live.fr)



Telephone: +229-934-882-81.



Thanks and remain blessed. Please, treat with utmost confidentiality.

I wait your urgent response.



Yours Sincerely,

Mr.Frank Williams.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam