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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • ken_obi100@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: ken obi <kenobing_007776@msn.com>
Reply-To: <ken_obi100@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 12:50:54 +0000
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT PLEASE



MR.KEN OBI
SOCIETY GENERAL BANK OF Bebin Republic
Cotonu Bebin Republic
private e.mail{ken_obi100@yahoo.fr}
Dear Friend,

This message might meet you in utmost surprise. However, it's just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction. I am a banker by profession from Cotonu Bebin Republic in west Africa and currently holding the post of Director Auditing and Accounting unit of the bank. I have the opportunity of transfering the left over funds ($ 97 million USD) of one of my banks client who died along with his entire family on 31,st july 2000 in a plane crash.You can confirm the genuiness of the deceased death by clicking on this web site


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

Hence , i am inviting you for a business deal where this money can be shared between us in the ratio of 65/35 %. If you agree to my business proposal.Further details of the transfer will be forwarded to you as soon as i receive your return mail.have a great day.
yours sincerely,
MR.KEN OBI

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam