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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
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?Amadu=20Bello?= <amadubello71@yahoo.in>
Reply-To: amadubello01@mail.ru
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:09:24 +0530 (IST)
Subject: URGENT REPLY ASSISTANT


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: amadubello71@yahoo.in



- FROM THE DESK OF MR Amadu Bello(ASST) AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING MANAGER,BANK OF AFRICA (B.O.A)OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO.MY GOOD FRIEND,I HOPE THAT YOU WILL NOT EXPOSE OR BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THAT I AM ABOUT TO IMPOSE ON YOU FOR THE MATUAL BENEFIT OF OUR FAMILIES.I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF (USD$18 M) MILLION TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHIN SEVEN BANKING DAYS.THIS MONEY HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR YEARS IN OUR BANK WITHOUT ANY BODY CLAIMING THE FUND.I WANT THE BANK TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEAREST PERSON TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER (THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT) BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER (DR.GEORGE BRUMLEY) WHO DIED ALONGWITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY ON NOVEMBER 2003 IN A PLANE CRASH.IN SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT OF THE MONEY,WE AGREE THAT 40% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU INRESPECT OF THE PROVISION YOU MADE BY STANDING IN THE CLAIM AS NEXT OF KIN,5% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURE DURING THETRASACTION ON TAXES THAT WILL ARISE AND 55%WOULD BE FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES. DON'T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK ACCOUNT AS AN ABANDONED FUND.SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY I CONTACTED YOU SO THAT THE BANK CAN RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER.I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam