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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:
  • "transferred into your 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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • kofiyeboa@fsmail.net

Fraud email example:

From: "KOFI YEBOA IN WEST AFRICA." <kofiyeboa@fsmail.net>
Reply-To: kofiyeboa@zwallet.com
Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 16:49:25 +0100
Subject: URGENT ASISTANCE FROM KOFI YEBOA IN COTOUNU IN W/ AFRICA.


Mr. KOFI YEBOA
Eco bank Cotonou-Benin
W/Africa
URGENT ASSISTANCE

Dear Sir,

I am Mr. KOFI YEBOA, a Supervisor in Ecobank,Cotonou-Benin Republic. It is my pleasure to seek for your assistance in this confidential business transaction,which will be of mutual benefit to both of us.One Engr. GERT LANDERVADE an oil expartriate/contractor maintains a
domiciliary account with our bank which I am the Account Relationship Officer and he has a credit balance of US$26,000,000.00(Twenty SIX Million U.S. Dollars) in my branch. On normal monthly routine notification, I sent a notice to his forwarded address but got no reply. After months, we sent a reminder and finally, we discovered from his contract employer (Shell
Petroleum Corporation) that ENGR.GERT LANDERVADE died from an automoblie accident while on vacation to his country.All attempts by the Bank to trace his next of kin were fruitless. On further investigation we found out that He died alongside with his Next of kin. And until now no other person(s) knows about this account or could give any documentary evidence concerning this account.
The total sum of US$26,000,000.00 is still standing in his favour in my bank as dormant account. No one has ever come forward to claim it. By virtue of banking law in Republic of Benin, after two years, the money will reverted to the Beninoise government treasury account, if the account owner is certified dead and nobody comes forward to claim it.
Now the most important thing is your support and your full coperation and also to Remain honest to me untill the end of this transaction, believing you will not disappoint me at the end after this money must have been fully processed and transferred into your bank account. At the conclusion of this business,we will have it share 50%-50% of the total amount, US$26,000,000.00.Plesae be rest assured that as far as I am concerned this business is 100% risk free,because I have already covered every loop holes and also set my machinery at work.
Kindly contact through this e-mail address: kofiyeboa@fsmail.net
Your's Faithfully,

Mr. John Sossou

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam