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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
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• 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:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (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. )
  • "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)
  • "trunk boxes" (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 orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?Florence=20Awan?= <awanflorence1@yahoo.cl>
Reply-To: florence_awan@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 01:56:17 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: From Florence Awan


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:awanflorence1@yahoo.cl



- Good Day Dearest One, Please i want you to know that it's not by mistake I am contacting you but by the special grace of God. I am 17 years miss Florence Awan and the only child of my late parents {Chief. Steve and Mrs Angela Awan} presently I am staying in a church. My father established his gold business in Accra Ghana, and he died shortly of heart attack, His death has now made me an orphan and i am exposed to danger. Before the death of my father,he called me on his bed side and reveal to me about some funds $11.2 million U.S.Dollars and some gold dust that he packed inside two metallic trunk boxes which he deposited with a Security Company here in Accra Ghana as a family treasure. He told me that he used my name as his only child as his next of kin to the deposit and in case he fails to make it that I should take care of myself and get someone to help invest the money for me. I have all the papers with me here and my father did not disclose the content of the two trunk boxes to the security company to avoids the officials from raising eye brows to the funds. Presently I have contacted the security company about my claim of the trunk boxes but the security company told me that my father made an agreement with the company management that they should not release the two trunk boxes to me without a foreign partner that is why i am seeking for your assistance to help me stand before the company as my foreign beneficiary partner or my guardian to receive the trunk boxes in your country so that i can come over to meet you and continue my education. Please stand for me and help me claim the trunk boxes so that i will come there for my medical school. You will also help me for the investment of the fund in a viable business there in your country, i will be very glad if you can come to Ghana here to meet me so that i can take you direct to the company. I am willing to offer to you 15% of the total sum as a compensation for your help. Expecting your soonest respond. Thank you and God bless you. Sincerely, Miss Florence

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam