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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "first national bank" (not involved with lotteries)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "this business is hitch free " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
• 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.
  • nkosip20@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: o197420@goldenpools.net
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:26:45 +0000
Subject: FOR YOUR ATTENTION


From: Mr. Peter Nkosi
First National Bank of South Africa Pretoria South
Africa .
Direct Line: 002774-554-7148:
Direct Fax No:0027865191025
Email:nkosip20@yahoo.co.uk

My name is Mr. Peter Nkosi, the manager, Credit and
Foreign Bills of FIRST NATIONAL BANK (FNB). I am
writing in respect of a foreign customer of our bank
with account number 908-14-255-114 whose name is Chung
Timothy, (Mr.), an American citizen who died in a
plane crash [Korean Air Flight 801] with the whole
passengers onboard on August 6, 1997. And for your
perusal you can view this website Ref:

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/06/guam.passenger.list

Since the demise of this customer, I personally have
watched with keen interest to see the next of kin but
all has proved abortive as no one has come to claim
his funds of US$15.5M (Fifteen Million Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars) which has been with
our bank for a very long time. On this note, I decided
to seek for whom his name shall be used as the Next of
Kin as no one has come up as his next of kin. And the
banking ethics here does not allow such money to stay
more than Eleven years, because the money will be
recalled to the bank treasury as unclaimed fund after
this period.

In view of this I got your contact through a trade
journal when I was making a research on a foreigner I
will use in this great opportunity. For your
assistance I am willing to give you 30% of the total
amount, upon the receipt of your response, I will send
you by fax or e-mail the letter of application which
you will type sign and send back to our Bank to enable
us start the processing of this claim.

I will not fail to bring to your notice that this
business is hitch free and that you should not
entertain any fear as all modalities for the smooth
and easy transfer of this fund has been finalized,
this transaction will be completed within five banking
days of receiving your response, after you apply to
the bank as a relation to the deceased.

When you receive this mail, kindly call me on my
direct telephone number ( 002774-554-7148 ) or reply by
email to my personal address
(nkosip20@yahoo.co.uk) immediately. Please do
include your full given names as they are in your
identity document and your private Tel/Fax numbers for
quick communication as time is of essence.

Finally be informed that we shall both be responsible for the cost of the
transfer. i.e we shall pay the cost from our pocket earnings.

Thank you and have a blessed day, warm regards.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. Peter Nkosi
First National Bank of South Africa Pretoria South
Africa .
Direct Line :002774-554-7148 Direct Fax No: 0027865191025
Email: nkosip20@yahoo.co.uk

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam