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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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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:
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +27735853491 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • chrisben05@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "CHRISTIAN BENSON" <chrisben05@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:02:48 -0700
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED


Benson Chris
Auditor General.
ABSA BANK LTD.
Johannesburg,
South Africa.
Re to:chrisben05@yahoo.com
+27 735 853 491

Attn: Dear
I am Benson Christian. The Auditor General of Amalgameted bank of South
Africa. (ABSA)
I have decided to contact you through this medium based on a business
proposal which will be of mutual benefit to both of us. However, I got your
contact from International business trade manual here in my country. South
African Chamber Of Commerce (SACC), during my search for a foreign business
partner whom I will transfer this fund in his/her personal or company's
account.
During the annual bank auditing, we discovered an abandoned sum of US$
42,300 000:00 Forty two millions three hundred thousand US dollars only in
an account that belong to one of our foreign customers Willie Jackson Sr. 61
years, of Scotch Plains, N.J. USA lost his life aboard Egypt Air Flight
990,which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on October 31,1999. View this
website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm. Since we got
the information about his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to
come over and claim his money, because we can not release it unless some
body apply for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as indicated
in our banking guidelines.
Unfortunately, nobody has come forward to claim this money. It is based on
this, that some officials in my department and I have decided to establish a
cordial business relationship with you, hence my contacting You. If you
indicate interest in this transaction I will let you know they steps to take
for a smooth transaction for the approval of this fund from the Bank in your
favour.
The mode of sharing after the transfer of the money into your nominated bank
account will be as follows: 65% for me and my colleagues, 30% will be given
to you for your assistance and 5% will be mapped out to offset expenses
during the course of the transaction. in receipt of this mail, call me
immediately via the above phone or email and kindly send me your private
telephone and fax numbers for easy communication. Please treat this business
proposal STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
Re: chrisben05@yahoo.com
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Best Regards,
BENSON CHRISTIAN
< /DIV>

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam