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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 us 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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <adamsge01@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2008 15:04:18 +0000
Subject: URGENT.......





UBS AG
Postfach 8098 Zürich
Switzerland
Swiss Clearing Number: 230
Postal Account: 80-2-2
SWIFT: UBSW CH ZH 80A
Web site: www.ubs.com

Dear Sir,

I am an investment consultant working with Bank UBS AG Zurich at their offshore
department Zurich Switzerland. I will be happy to work this deal out with you if
you have a corporate or personal Bank Account and if you are capable to keep TOP
SECRET. I need strong Assurance that you will never let me down, if I transfer
this money to your account.

During one of our periodic auditing I discovered a dormant accounts with holding
balance of US$ 232,000.000.00 {Two hundred and Thirty Two million US Dollars
only}.

If you are not familiar with Swiss Dormant Accounts and profile, please take a
moment of your very busy schedules to read about Swiss dormant accounts:
website; http://www.crt-ii.org/2001_list/publication_list1_A.phtm

If you know that you are capable to handle large or small amount on trust and
can keep secret and ready to take 40% of any amount I transfer to your account
from the dormant account and I will take 60%, send the following information by
return mail:

Beneficiary Bank name.........................?
Bank address....................................?
Account no.......................................?
Swift code.......................................?
Account name...................................?
Beneficiary address............................?
Your phone no...................................?
Your Occupation.................................?
Age....................................?
Also needed, a Scan copy of your In't Passport/ID Card............?

Tell me more about yourself, while I look forward to receive the above
information.

I want to re-assure you that this business is risk-free and you can send an empty
account to receive the funds, provided that the account is capable to receive
incoming funds.

Thank you for your time and attention, I looked forward to receive your and your
prompt reply to my E-mail address: adamsge01@msn.com)

Warmest regards,

Mr. Adams Geroge

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam