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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "trunk boxes" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money)
• This email message is a "dying merchant" 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.
  • alsheikh2005@netscape.net

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Alsheikh Rahman" <rahmansheikh@zwallet.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 00:43:42 +0100
Subject: SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE FOR CHARITY WORKS


Dear sylvia,
Greetings to you and Please permit me to introduce myself.
I am Mr Rahman Alsheikh a Saudi National and a crude oil
Merchant before I was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer which has
defied all medical solutions and according to medical experts I only have
a few more months to live.
As you read this you do not have to feel sorry for me as it is a
universal truth that we all must die someday, the only problem with mine
though being that I have particularly not lived my life well in spite of
my wealth and possessions as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself)
but my business. Though I was very rich I was never generous, I
was never caring about people but only dedicated my time and resources
on my business as that was the only thing I cared about. But now I
regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just
accumulating all the wealth in the world as I lay helplessly on my sick
bed.
If I was given a second chance to live again I sure would live my life a
different way from how I have lived it owing to what has befallen me
now. As my last days alive are drawing closer and closer I have already
willed out most of my properties and assets to my immediate and extended
family members as well as a few close friends.
I also want my soul to be at peace with God and for him to be merciful
on me and accept my soul and to this regard I have resolved to give my
remaining funds to charity organizations as I want this to stand as one
of the last deeds I indulge in on earth before I die. Though I have
already distributed money to some charity organizations, Now that my
health has deteriorated so badly I can no longer continue with this
myself and also I do not trust my immediate family members or close
friends on this as I have once asked them to close one of my accounts
and distribute the funds therein to charity organizations in
Bulgaria,Sri-Lanka India and Pakistan they greedily kept the money to
themselves. Hence I am contacting you with this as I have lost
confidence in them because it is obvious they are not contended with
what I have left for them.
The last of my funds which no one knows of is a cash deposit of
Eighteen million U.S Dollars ($18,000,000,00) stashed in 2 trunk boxes
and declared as Personal effects of high security value which I have with a
finance/Security Company in Europe. All I am asking of you is to assist
me in making the collection of this deposit and dispatching the funds to
any charity of your choice after keeping 20% of the funds for yourself
and your family.10% of these funds should be to cover any expenses that
might be incurred in the process of making this claims.
Please contact me as soon as you get this email if you are capable and
sincere to handle this transaction on my behalf so I can forward you
with all relevant documents necessary for the claims and the name of the
security firm where the funds are deposited.
God bless you as I await words from you. Please inform as soon as
possible if you are not interested so I can proceed to seek for someone
else to carry out this on my behalf. Find attached a picture of me along
with this email for your perusal.
Please respond to me on this email address if you are willing to assist
me, alsheikh2005@netscape.net

Thanks and God bless.

Mr.ALSHEIKH RAHMAN

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam