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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:
  • "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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • +27828124241 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "steve edward" <steve_edward1@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006 12:39:03 +0000
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL



Attn:Sir/madam,


My name is Mr.Steve Edward the elder son of Mr.DAVID EDWARD of Zimbabwe.
This might be a surprise to you about how I got your contact address. I got
your address from the South African chamber of commerce in Johannesburg.

During the current war against the rich white farmers in Zimbabwe, from the
supports of our president Robert Mugabe to claim all the white owned farms
to his own party members and his followers, he ordered all the white farmers
in Zimbabwe to surrender all their farms to his party members and his
followers.

My father is one of the best of the best farmers in our country, and because
he did not support Mugabe's idea, Mugabe's supporters invaded my father's
farm and burnt everything in the farmland, killing my father and made away
with all the things in my father's farm.

Before his death, my father had deposited with one of the security company
in Johannesburg South Africa, the sum of $US20.5 million (TWENTY MILLION
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND united states dollars). Then after the death of my
father, my family decided to move to South Africa where my father had
deposited the money.

So I decided to contact overseas partner that will assist me to move this
money out of South Africa because as an assylum seeker in South Africa, I
cannot operate any account. we have aggreed to offer you 20% of the total
sum for your assistance,5% will be mapped out for expenses, and 75% for my
family.

So Please, if you think you can be of any assistance to me and my family,
kindly furnish me with your fax and phone numbers for easy communication.

You can contact me via my phone number, Tel:+27-82-812-4241 .Note that this
transaction is 100% risk free and absolutely confidential for my family's
sake.

Hoping to hear from you soonest.


Best regards,

Mr.Steve Edward.

(for the family)

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam