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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:
  • "huge amount of money" (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)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: arnold kuta <arnoldkuta_k9@msn.com>
Reply-To: <arnoldkuta_a@yahoo.cn>
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:05:09 +0000
Subject: From: Mr.Arnold Kuta




Hello Dear,

Greetings to you, I am Mr.Arnold Kuta, the Branch Manager of a top Bank here in Abidjan-Cote d` Ivoire, and former Account Officer to Late Mr.Morris Thompson, a foreign investor/Contractor with the Government of Cote d` Ivoire and American great industrialist resident of Alaska. Sad to say that Mr.Thompson lost his life, his wife and only daughter in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000.You can read more news about the crash on visiting this sites; http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/
And http://www.nativefederation.org/history/people/mThompson.html
May their souls rest in peace.

I got your contact through the International web directory in my search for a reliable foreign partner who will assist me execute this transaction. I decided to contact you by email because I feel that it is more secured and private to do so, at least for now.
The late Mr.Thompson for your information left a huge amount of Money in his Account which is now dormant. The total deposit is USD24, 000,000.00 (Twenty four Million United States Dollars only). Like I said earlier, the Account has been dormant all these while with our Bank without any claim. As at today, no one has come for the claim, and none will ever come for it, even though the bank is expecting someone to come forward.

The Banking law here stipulates that if such money remains unclaimed for Ten years, it will be forfeited to the Bank treasury as an unclaimed fund. Without controversy, only a foreigner can stand as a next of kin and it is upon this discovery that I decided to contact you to collaborate with me to pull this fund and move it to overseas. In order to avert this negative development, I now seek your permission to have you stand in as next of kin to so that the fund will be released and paid into any valid account you will nominate. It doesn’t matter if you are related to late Mr.Thompson or not since all legal and official documents needed for the claim will be done in your name as the next-of-kin/Beneficiary of the fund without problem.

In fact I could have done this deal alone if it is possible for me, but because of my position and status in this country as a civil servants, we are not allowed to operate a foreign account and that would eventually raise an eye brow on my side during the time of transfer since I still work in this bank, this is the actual reason why I required a second party or fellow who will assist me forward claims as the next of kin and also provide either an existing bank account or to set up a new Bank a/c immediately to receive this fund, even an empty a/c can also serve for this purpose.

On smooth conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to 40%
As gratification for your assisting me, and the remaining 60% will be
For me. What I want from you is for you to act as the deceased next of kin. I have in my possession; all the necessary information’s to successfully accomplish this operation. Bear in mind that this proposal is 100% risk free. Further Information will be given to you as soon as I receive your positive response. I suggest you get back to me as soon as possible stating your interest to enable us proceeds.

Many thanks and kind regards.Mr.Arnold Kuta

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam