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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• 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)
  • "chief auditor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: mrharrisonezeh1@freemail.lt
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:05:19 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Imperative Matter........

The Chief Auditor/Information manager,
In-Charge of Foreign Unit
International Commercial Bank.(ICB),
Accra , Ghana .
Hello,
In need of assistance.
I am sorry for the embarrassment this mail might cause you, as we have not met before. I am Mr. Harrison Ezeh, a Bank Accountant. I am writing to solicit your assistance in the transfer of $32.2Million United States dollars. This fund is the
excess of what my branch made as profit during the 2005 financial year. I have already submitted annual report for that year to my head office as I have watched with keen interest as the bank will never know of this excess fund, I placed this amount of $32.2Million United States dollars to an Escrow Coded account without a beneficiary (anonymous) to avoid trace. I do need to stress that there are practically no risk involved in this transaction. It's going to be a bank-to-bank transfer or if you can come over here is best way.

As an officer of the bank, I cannot be directly connected to this money due to civil service code which form its civil servants from owing or operating foreign currency account coupled with the fact that the fund is huge thus I am impelled to request for your assistance to receive this money into your bank account on my behalf I
intend to part 50% of this fund to you while 50% shall be for me. All I need from you is to stand as the original depositor of this fund so that the fund can be legally processed to your name and be transferred to your account without any problem. If you accept this offer, I will appreciate your timely response to enable us proceed.
Please include your mobile number when responding to this mail for more details.

With Regards,
Mr. Harrison Ezeh.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam