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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
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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:
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "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)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +447040128295 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • georgemcds@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "georgemd@mail2world.com" <georgemd@mail2world.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 08:20:38 -0700
Subject: UPDATE


GOOD DAY TO YOU,

MY NAME IS MR,GEORGE McDONALDS ANDERSON WORKING WITH THE
MINING FINANCE DEPT.WITH STANDARD BANK LONDON.

WE HAD A FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DEPOSITED A HUGE SUM OF
MONEY WITH OUR BANK, WHO LATER DIED AS A RESULT OF PLANE CRASH IN
1999. BEFORE HIS DEATH, HE TRANSFERED THE SUM OF US$26.5M (TWENTY-SIX
MILLION FIVEHUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED SATES DOLLARS) TO A BANK IN
AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND.

SINCE THE DEATH 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$26.5M (TWENTY-SIX MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) WHICH HAS BEEN WITH THE BANK IN HOLLAND
FOR A VERY LONG TIME. ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOSE NAME
SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO BE THE NEXT
OF KIN.

IN VIEW OF THIS I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY`S FOREIGN TRADE
MISSION AFTER I WAS CONVINCED BY PROVIDENCE THAT YOU COULD BE USED AS THE
NEXT OF KIN.

THE REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS
OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND YOU SHARE THE
SAME SURNAME AND SOMEBODY IN LONDON CANNOT STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO OUR
LATE CUSTOMER.

I AGREED THAT US$5 MILLION OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGN
PARTNER FOR PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT, WHILE THE REST WILL BE FOR ME,THEREAFTER,
I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT
AS I AM ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT.

THEREFORE, TO FACILITATE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR
ACCOUNT AS ARRANGED, YOU MUST APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS A RELATION TO THE
DECEASED INDICATING YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER,AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY
COMMUNICATION AND LOCATION WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED.
UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL SEND YOU BY FAX OR E-MAIL THE
NEXT STEP TO TAKE.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS BUSINESS IS HITCH-FREE
AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE WHOLE REQUIRED
ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE TRANSFER.

YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL OR CALL ME ON MY
NUMBER +44 704 012 8295.
TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU.

YOUR RESPECTFULLY,
GEROGE McDONALDS ANDERSON
+44 704 012 8295
N:B all response should be mailed to:georgemcds@yahoo.co.uk

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam