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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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 united states dollars" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned 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: mikekeita14@gmail.com
Reply-To: mikedenniskeita@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:52:27 +0200
Subject: Dearest One


Dearest One


My name is Mike Dennis Keita from Cote D'Ivoire. I am 19 years old and a
student. Please I would like you to assist me as urgent as you can,before
they kill me.My father is a wealthy cocoa merchant.


This mistrust deepens between Oct-Sept, 2005 when they discovered avery
large some of money my father deposited with a Bank here in ABIDJAN-COTE
D'IVOIRE (FORMALLY IVORY COAST in West Africa. As a result of this
discovery and the envy on the money he was poisioned by his associates.At
his hospital bed ,he revealed to me the reasons of his sickness and directed
me where to get the documents of the said deposit which he made on my name
as the next of kin,being the only child.


He dvised me that in case he die, that I should not stay in this country
Cote D'Ivoire because his associates will equally kill me hence my mother
had died five years ago of breast cancer.


He also instructed that if he dies, I should look for a foreign partner who
will help me to transfer the money out of this place (Abidjan Cote
d'Ivoire), to his account and the person will help me to invest the money in
that country. Based on this, I had to contact you bearing in mind that you
will be humane enough to protect my life. My father finally died on the 5th
of june,2006 and since then, I was out of school and went into hiding
because of my father's asociates. All the relevant documents of the ($8.2
Million United States Dollars) that was deposited in a Commercial Bank by
my late father, are with me now.


I will give you 20% of the total money, if you can help me transferring it
into your Account, for onward investment in your country. Please contact
me immediately with the above E-mail address and include your telephone and
Fax numbers to enable me send you all necessary documents asregards the
money before they kill me. It is a risk free transaction.


I'm waiting for your urgent reply.
Best regards.
sincerely,

Mike Dennis Keita.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam