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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
  (+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:
  • "million united state 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "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: "Mr. Mike Ellis" <ellis35_58@msn.com>
Reply-To: <mikeellisbox@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:51:58 +0000
Subject: Partnership Request { Reply After Reading}





From: Mike Ellis
Group Finance Director,Treasury & Insight.
Halifax Bank of Scotland Plc.
Edinburgh EH3 9PE


Good day,

I am Mr. Mike Ellis, the Group Finance Director, Treasury & Insight Halifax Bank of Scotland {HBOS}. I personally discovered a dormant account with a total sum of $85,000,000.00 [EIGHTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS] during our Bank's Annual Year Account Auditing.

The owner of this dormant account died on a plane Crash. Since the death of the deceased, nobody has operated in this account till date. Moreover, this account has NO BENEFICIARY attached to it.

Definitely, this fund will be confiscated by our BANKING CODE OF ETHICS if it remains dormant for a period of [10] year without any claims. In this regard, I earnestly need your full cooperation in transferring this money out of our bank to avoid our bank confiscating this fund.

HOW THE TRANSACTION CAN BE HANDLED: As the group finance director of our bank,all our client account details and file are in my possession and that makes it easy for me to include your name as the beneficiary of the fund in all necessary documents involving the money we wish to transfer out from our bank.

Most importantly, you will be required to:
(1). Act as the original beneficiary of the funds.
(2). Travel and meet with our payment officer once our bank approves the release of the money to
you
(3). Receive the funds into a business/private bank account.
(4). At the completion of this transaction, the sharing rates shall be 50% for me while 50% for you.

Note: The transfer will be split into two 2 stages for easy and smooth transfer. Firstly, the sum of $80,000,000.00 will transfer to any valid foreign account you will nominate, then upon a successful transfer without any disappointment from our side; I will then fly to meet you in your home destination for sharing, thereafter we will jointly transfer the remaining balance of $5,000,000.00. I will also like us to invest some part of the money in your country.

If you accept to work with me, you will be given 50% of the total money as your share and 50%. So the main question is, will you partner me in this transaction. If you are willing to cooperate in this project, kindly reply back.

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT REPLY.

Yours Truly,
Mr. Mike Ellis

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam