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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:
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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: Williams Richard <winnapra@msn.com>
Reply-To: <williams_rd55@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 20:57:40 +0000
Subject: Re:Investment Opportunity Grab It.



Re:Investment Opportunity Grab It.
276 Queen street Place
London, EC4 R1BE
www.rbs.co.uk

Re:Investment Opportunity Grab It.

My heart warm greetings to you. I have a very important request that make me to contact you; I am Mr. Williams Richard, I decided to reach you directly to solicit your assistance and Guidelines in making a business investment and wire transfer of £45.5M GBP (Forty Five Million Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling) to your country within the Next few days. This transaction is legitimate and genuie.

I presently work as a Chief Auditor, of all foreign bank accounts of our overseas customers with our bank and I am in-charge of Offshore Mortgage & Services with Royal Bank of Scotland PLC, here in London. But at this moment, I am constrained to issue more details about this profitable Business investment until I get your response by mail, confirming your readiness to be in partnership with me. Be informed that this funds is legitimate and there is no risk on your part, all confirmable documents will be legally secured to back up the transfer and copies will be sent to you before the funds gets into your country. Meanwhile, I have carefully worked out the modalities and technicalities whereby the funds will be cleared and transferred into your country safely without any hitches.

Please I will appreciate you take out a moment of your very busy Schedule today to respond back if you are interested; send me your kind email response directly to my email and include your direct mobile telephone numbers for an initial confidential communication, so that I will give you further explanation on source of funds and details of funds transfer. I wish for utmost confidentiality in handling this transaction.

Thanks for your understanding and willingness to partner with me. I wait your urgent reply soon.

Best Regards
Mr.Williams Richard.
Chief Auditor. RBS

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam