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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• 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:
  • "million 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)
  • "confidentiality of this transaction" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +22998763043 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "EGODI MUZAN" <emuzan21@ig.com.br>
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2008 05:57:04 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY


I am Mr. Egodi Muzan,the first son of Zack Muzan, One of the black farmers
in Zimbabwe who was murdered in the recent Presidential election dispute in
my country.The election problem arose when President Mr. Robert Mugabe
refused to step down when the opposition party won. My father,had previously
worked closely with Mr.Robert Mugabe before becoming a strong member of the
opposition.Before the death of my father, he had taken me with him to
Madrid,Spain where he deposited the sum of $10M USD ( Ten Million United
States dollars) in one of the private security companies there. After my
father's death,we ran away to Cotonou,Benin Republic,where we now reside.All
efforts made so far to travel out of this place,has proved abortive as we
are here on political asylum and the law here prohibits refugees from
opening bank accounts or engaging in financial transactions.
We therefore, need your assistance to go to Madrid,Spain to open a
non-resident account in a bank where the funds will be paid into and then
transferred to your bank account.The entire arrangement will be strictly
supervised and the transaction is absolutely risk-free as you will be issued
with a Power of Attorney.Your stay in Madrid,Spain will be for 3 days within
which the entire operation will be concluded and transfer made to your
account.
We propose to give you 25% for your efforts,70% for us while 5% will be for
anticipated expenses which will be re-imbursed immediately.The
confidentiality of this transaction cannot be over emphasized as we trust
and believe that you will oblige us the security and attention it
demands.Please reply through my confidential
e-mail:egodi_muzan@live.com<e-mail%3Aegodi_muzan@live.com>
Best regards,
Egodi Muzan.
+229 98 76 30 43.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam