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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "chambers" (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))
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • marvin_robinson@universia.cl (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?Marvin=20Robinson?= <marvin_robinson59@yahoo.in>
Reply-To: marvin_robinson@universia.cl
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:30:06 +0530 (IST)
Subject: URGENT RESPOND NEEDED.


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: marvin_robinson59@yahoo.in



- Good Day , I am sorry to encroach into your Good Day ,I am sorry to encroach into your privacy in this manner; I found you listed in the Trade Centre Chambers of Commerce directory here in Burkina Faso . Please do accept my sincere apologies if my mail does not meet your personal ethics,I am Mr Marvin Robinson. The manager of bill and exchange at the foreign remittance department of my Bank. I am writing you for the second time since you did not reply to me at first email sent to you. However, I am contacting you in order to ask for your assistance on this confidential business proposal with full financial benefit for both of us. Before I go into further details, please be informed that I am writing without any other erson(s) pre-knowledge of my contacting you on this transaction. Therefore I will appreciate same attitude to be maintained by you all through.In my department I discovered an abandoned sum of US$8.5M, (Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) with account number 14-2558-5976 that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his wife and only daughter in a plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight number 261 which crashed on January 31st 2000.You shall read more about the crash ,Mr. Morris Thompson an American and great industrialist in resident of Alaska . It is therefore upon this discovery that I now decided to make this business proposal to you and for our bank to release the money to you. You have to follow the instruction which I will be sending to you as the next of kin or business partner to the deceased for safety and ubsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it and I don't want this money to go into our bank reasury as unclaimed bill. In appreciation of your assistance, I am offering you 35% of the total sum. 5% for contingencies expenses likely to be incurred during the course of transaction, while the remaining 60% is for me. Upon receipt of your reply, I will send to you by fax or email the text of the application which you will complete and forward to our bank asking for this money to be paid to you as the next of kin to Mr. Morris Thompson.This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is legitimate and does not originate from drug, money laundry, terrorism or any other illegal act. You should contact me immediately you finish reading this mail with the following iformation's.1 Your office and home addresses 2 Your Occupation....... 3 Your Age...... 4 Your Private Telephone number....... 5 Your Nationality........ When you reply this message, I will send you the tex of application. If interested or not please notify me by replying through my alternate Email :marvin_robinson@universia.cl thanks Mr Marvin Robinson.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam