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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:
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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 pounds" (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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Kane Cole" <kaneco80@gmail.com>
Reply-To: kanecoie10@yahoo.es
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2008 05:46:18 -0700
Subject: Very Important E-mail From Mr. Kane


*Hello*
**
*Please accept my sincere apologizes if my email does not meet your business
or personal ethics. I will first introduce myself as Mr.Kane Cole, a staff
in the Private Clients Section of a well known bank, here in U K.*
**
*One of our accounts, with holding balance of £15,000,000 (Fifteen
Million Pounds
Sterling) has been dormant and last operated three years ago. From my
investigations and confirmation, the owner of the said account, a foreigner
by name Ed Swingle** died on the 5th of January 2002 in a plane crash in
Birmingham; you can view this CNN website *
**
*http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/01/04/england.plane/*<http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/01/04/england.plane/>

*for details on the crash.*
**
*Since then, nobody has done anything as regards the claiming of this money,
as he has no family member that has any knowledge as to the existence of
either the account or the funds; and also Information from the National
Immigration also states that he was single on entry into the UK.*
**
*I have confidently discussed this issue with some of the bank officials and
we have agreed to find a reliable foreign partner to deal with. We therefore
propose to do business with you, standing in as the next of kin of these
funds from the deceased and funds released to you after necessary processes
have been followed.*
**
*This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is
legitimate and does not originate from drug, money laundry, terrorism or any
other illegal act.*

*On your interest, let me hear from you.*
*Warm Regards,
Kane Cole*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam