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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin 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.
  • donarashid@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: Donald Rashid <richdjumah@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: don.rashid1@hotmail.fr
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:06:22 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Partnership(from Donald Rashid)



Dear Friend.
 
It is my pleasure to contact you for this business and apologise in contacting you through this means.
 
I am Donald Rashid the director in charge of Auditing and Accounting section of Bank of Africa Benin in West Africa,and also a special account officer of  Mr. Farid Hakim, a  Lebanese. He was a Seasoned Contractor with Benin Cement Company in Benin Republic., who unfortunately died in the plane crash of Union Transport Africaines Flight Boeing 727  in Cotonou, Benin republic on the december 25,2003.
 
You can read it on;
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/
http://chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-12/26/content_293549.htm

Before his death on the 25th December 2003, Mr. Farid Hakim has a fixed deposit with the bank and no other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me that his supposed next of kin died along with him in the crash. Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives,this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts,I decided to contact you. I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.
 
Consequently, Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives  for over 2 year now.  I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$6.8 million can be paid to you and then you and me can share the money. 70% to me and 30% to you. I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
 
If this proposal is acceptable to you, kindly email your following information to me:
 
Complete names
Private telephone number
Private fax number
Private email
 
Until you write,have a nice day and God bless. You can also contact me at donarashid@yahoo.com  
 
Sincerely,
Donald Rashid

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam