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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22998268768 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: info.barristerjohncoca4@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:25:23 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: To, Thomas Ettes



BARRISTER JOHN COCA (CHAMBRE)
Conseillers en Droit
03 BP 2335, Cotonou République du Bénin.
Tél. 00229 98268768, Fax. 21 31 35 05 

Atten. Thomas Ettes ,

I  am  barrister  John  COCA , a solicitor  at  law.   The   personal  attorney  to  late Engr. Andres Ettes ,  a national of your  country   who used to work with Texaco oil and gas  development company  in  Cotonou  Republic  of  Benin.  Here in after shall  be referred  to as  my  client.  On  the  4th of  July   2006,  my client,  his wife  and   their   only   daughter  were  involved  in  a   car    accident    along   nouvissi  express   road,   all   occupants   of   the   vehicle   unfortunately   lost   there  lives.  Since  then  I  have  made  several enquiries   to  your  country   embassy   here  to  locate  any of my clients extended  relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.
 
After  these  several  unsuccessful attempts, i decided to track his last name with my country  chamber   of  commerce and  embassy,  to locate any member of his family hence i  contacted  you.   I have  contacted  you to  assist  in   repatriating  the  fund valued  at   US$8.5 Million   left  behind  by  my  client  before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the foreign remittance department of Continental Bank of Benin where this  huge   amount   were   deposited.  The   said  Continental  Bank of Benin  has  issued  me  a  notice to  provide   the   next of kin  or    have his account confiscated  within  the  next  twenty  one  official  working days. Since I  have been  unsuccessful  in  locating the  relatives  for  over 2 years now, i seek your consent to present  you  as  the  next of kin to the deceased since you have the same last names and  come 
from  the  same  country,  so that  the  proceeds of this account  can  be  paid  to  you as the  nex t o kin  t o  my  late  client.  Therefore,  on receipt  of  your  positive   response,   we   shall   then   discuss   the  sharing ratio and modalities  for transfer.   I   have  all  necessary  information’s   and   legal  documents  needed   to  back  us  up  for  claim.  All  I  require  from  you  is  your honesty and co-operation to enable us sees this transaction through.
 
I   guarantee  that  this  will  be  executed  under   legitimate   arrangement that will protect you  from  any breach  of the law.  In your return mail kindly indicate to me your personal telephone and fax number for  further  oral clarification and you can call  me  upon your  receipt of this  mail for  oral clasification.   
                 


Cordialement,
Barrister John Coca
00229 98268768

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam