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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)
• 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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "trunk box" (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 "dying merchant" scam.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • usmanku_101@movemail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "USMAN KHALID" <usmanku404@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2008 14:58:43 +0000
Subject: Dear Friend,


Dear Friend,

Greetings to you and Please permit me to introduce myself. I am Mr KHALID
USMAN SAUDI National working in shell B P IN Guinea Conakry and a crude oil
Merchant Before I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, which has defied all
medical solutions, and according to medical experts I only have a few more
months to live. As you read this you do not have to feel sorry for me as it
isa universal truth that we all must die someday, the only problem with mine
though being that I have particularly not lived my life well in spite of my
wealth and possessions as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself)
but my business. Though I was very rich I was never generous, I was never
caring about people but only dedicated my time and resources on my business,
as that was the only thing I cared about.

But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just
accumulating all the wealth in the world as I lay helplessly on my sick bed.
If I was given a second chance to live again I make sure i would live my
life a different way from how I have lived it owing to what has befallen me
now. As my last days alive are drawing closer and closer I have already
willed out most of my properties and assets to my immediate and extended
family members as well as a few close friends. I also want my soul to be at
peace with God and for him to be merciful on me and accept my soul and to
this regard I have resolved to give my remaining funds to charity
organizations as I want this to stand as one of the last deeds I indulge in
on earth before I die. Though I have already distributed money to some
charity organizations, Now that my health has deteriorated so badly I can no
longer continue with this myself and also I do not trust my immediate family
members or close friends on this as I have once asked them to close one of
my accounts and distribute the funds there in to charity organizations in
Bulgaria,Sri-Lanka India and Pakistan they greedily kept the money to
themselves. Hence I am ntacting you with this as I have lost confidence in
them because it is obvious they are not contended with what I have
left for them.

The last of my funds which no one knows of is a cash deposit of Seven
Million five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($7,500000) stashed in one trunk box
and declared as Personal effects of high security value which I have with a
finance/Security Company. All I am asking of you is to assist me in making
the collection of this deposit and dispatching the funds to any charity of
your choice after keeping 20% of the funds for yourself and your family.10%
of these funds should be to cover any expenses that might be incurred in the
process of making this claims. Please contact me as soon as you get this
email if you are capable and sincere to handle this transaction on my behalf
so I can forward you with all relevant documents necessary for the claims
and the name of the security firm where the funds are deposited. God bless
you as I await words from you. Please inform me as soon as possible if you
are not interested so I can proceed to seek for someone else to carry out
this on my behalf. Find attached a picture of me along with this email for
your perusal. Please your earliest response to this letter will be
appreciated.Reply Email usmanku_101@movemail.com
Thanks,

Mr. Usman Khalid

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam