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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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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: terra_4mayor@zipmail.com.br
Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2006 10:01:09 +0100
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?FROM=20TERRA=20AND=20MAYOR?=

DEAREST ONE,

IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO WRITE TO YOU AFTER MY MUCH CONSIDERATION, I AM TERRA
AND MY BROTHER IS MAYOR THE SONS OF LATE MR AND MISS JONES MAYOR FROM COTONOU
IN REPUBLIC OF BENIN. I AM 21YEARS OF AGE AND MY BROTHER IS 17YRS, OUR FATHER
OWNS A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OF COCOA AND GOLD IN COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
OUR COUNTRY.

AFTER HIS TRIP TO ABIDJAN COTE D'IVIORE TO NEGOTIATEON A COCOA AND GOLD
BUSINESS HE WANTED TO INVEST IN ABIDJAN . ONE WEEK HE CAME BACK FROM HIS
TRIP TO ABIDJAN HE HAD A MOTOR ACCIDENT WITH OUR MOTHER WHICH OUR MOTHER
DIED INSTANTLY BUT MY FATHER DIED AFTER FIVE DAYS IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL
IN MY COUNTRY.

IT WAS LIKE OUR FATHER KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE MAY HIS GENTLE SOUL REST
IN PREFECT PEACE . HE DISCLOSED TO US AND MY BROTHER THAT HE DEPOSITED THE
SUM OF ($ 35,000,000) THIRTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS INTO PRIVATE
SECURITY COMPANY IN COTONOU, THAT THE MONEY WAS MEANT FOR HIS COCOA AND
GOLD BUSINESS HE WANTED TO ESTABLISH IN ABIDJAN .

OUR FATHER HANDED US THE DOCUMENTS COVERING THE LODGMENT AND INSTRUCTED
ME AND MY ONLY BROTHER TO SEEK FOR A RELIABLE AND TRUST WORTHY BUSINESS
PARTNER FOR OUR LIFE TIME INVESTMENT, THAT IS WHY WE DECIDED TO CONTACT
YOU,NOW WE HAVE SUCCEEDED IN LOCATING THE SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN COTONOU
AND WE HAVE TOLD THEM OUR PLAN TO LOOK FOR A FOREIGEN PARTNER WHO WILL ASSIST
US TO LIFT THE CONSIGNMENT BECAUSE OUR DEPOSITED IT AS FAMILY VALUABLES
TREASURED,SO FOR NOW THE SECURITY COMPANY DID NOT KNOW THE REAL CONETENTS
OF THE BOXES.

NOW WE ARE SOLICITING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO HELP US SO THAT WE CAN TRANSFER
THE MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR UNWARD INVESTMENT OF YOUR OWN CHOICE SINCE
WE DO NOT KNOW ANY THINGS ABOUT INVESTING IN YOUR COUNTRY AS WE ARE STILL
STUDENT AS THIS IS OUR ONLY HOPE IN LIFE.

ME AND MY BROTHER HAVE PROMISED TO GRATIFY YOU WITH 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM
FOR YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE WE ARE WAITING ANXIOUSLY TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY
SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THE MODALITIES OF THIS TRANSACTION.


PLEASE CONTACT US THROUGH OUR PRIVERT:EMAIL:terramayor@e-mail.cz

IMMEDIATELY FOR MORE DISCUSSION THANKS FOR YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

YOURS SINCERELY
TERRA AND MAYOR.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam