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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

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)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • mrp.revania@yahoo.de (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Revania Petrit" <mrp_revania@mymail.ro>
Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2006 14:59:57 +0300
Subject: FOREIGN INVESTMENT PARTNER.


FROM :MR.REVANIA PETRIT.
THE BANK MANAGER OF
STANDARD BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA.

FOREIGN INVESTMENT PARTNER.

Dear Friend,

My greetings to you and your family.

I do recognize and apologize for the surprise this message will bring to
you as it comes from a stranger.It is true that we have neither met nor
known each other before, But I believe that with Trust and Honesty both of
us can be very good partners.I am contacting you based on a business
opportunity that will be of mutual benefit to both of us.

I am Mr Revania Petrit and am from Albania the Bank Manager of STANDARD
BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA . There is an account opened in this bank in 1980 and
since 1995 nobody has operated on this account again. After going through
some old files in the records, I discovered that if I do not remit this
money out urgently it would be forfeited for nothing.

The owner of this account is Mr.Jonathan Caru,a foreigner,a merchant in
Dubai, in the U.A.E., by profession and he died of lung cancer since 1995.
No other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it, the
account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well
that his company does not know anything about this account and the amount
involved is (USD$12.5M) Twelve million,Five Hundred United States Dollars
.

This funds have been transfered to a security company in europe called
GLOBENET FINANCE AND LOGISTIC.

I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be
approved to a local bank here, but can only be approved to any foreign
account because the money is in U.S dollars and the former owner of the
account is Mr. Jonathan Caru is a foreigner too. Please be 100% assured
that this business is risk-free, real and genuine.

On a successful transfer of this fund into your nominated foreign bank
account or any account of your choice where the fund will be safe, I will
fly to your country for withdrawal and sharing and other investments. I am
contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with foreign
account and foreign beneficiary.

I need your full co-operation to make this business work very well because
the security company in europe where this funds is is ready to approve
this payment to any foreigner, who has correct information like the
certificate of deposite and the power of Attorney, which I will give to
you later, if you are capable and willing to handle such amount in strict
confidence and trust according to my instructions and advice for our
mutual benefit because this opportunity will never come again in my life.

I will employ an Attorney that will prepare the certificate of deposite
and the power of Attorney that will place you before the security company
as the benefitiary of this funds.

I need truthful person in this business because I don't want to make
mistake I need your strong assurance and trust. With my position now in
the office this money can be transfered to your account, which you can
provide with assurance that this money will be intact pending my physical
arrival in your country for sharing. I will destroy all documents of
transaction immediately we receive this money leaving no trace to any
place.

You will have to travel to Europe where thius funds is to withness the
signing ceremony of this funds to you in person so i want you to alert me
when you can make this trip.

I will apply for annual leave to get visa immediately I receive from you
that you are ready to act and receive this fund in your account. I will
use my position to influence the effect approvals and onward transfer of
this money to your account . At the conclusion of this business, you will
be given 40% of the total amount for your assistance and help.

I await your urgent reply strictly through this EMAIL below:

mrp.revania@yahoo.de

Yours Truly,
Mr.Revania Petrit.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam