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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:
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "escrow account with no beneficiary" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "it will be a bank to bank transfer" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "kufor5" <kufor5@babbalu.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2006 23:02:55 -0500
Subject: HI

BARCLAYS BANK GHANA LTD, HIGH STREET BRANCH,
TAKORADI, GHANA.
DEAR FRIEND,


MY NAME IS MR KUFOR MENSAH, I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF
BARCLAYS BANK GHANA LTD,OF DAKAR BRANCH IN THE WESTERN
REGION OF TAKORADI. I WRITES YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD
FAITH,
I PACKAGED THIS FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT
YOU AND I,AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE BARCLAYS BANK.
IT IS MY DUTY TO SEND IN A FINANCIAL REPORT TO MY HEAD
OFFICE IN THE CAPITAL CITY ACCRA AT THE END OF EACH
BUSINESS YEAR.
ON THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR BUSINESS REPORT, I
DISCOVERED THAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE
THREE MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS, ($3,000.000USD) WHICH
MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF.
I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW ACCOUNT
WITH NO BENEFICIARY.
AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED
TO THIS MONEY, SO MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME
TO RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND GET 20% OF
THE TOTAL FUNDS AS COMMISSION.

THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED, IT WILL BE A BANK
TO BANK TRANSFER, ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO STAND AS THE
ORIGINAL DEPOSITOR WHO MADE THE DEPOSIT WITH MY BRANCH SO
THAT MY HEAD OFFICE CAN ORDER THE TRANSFER TO YOUR
DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT.
IF YOU ACCEPT TO WORK WITH ME I WILL APPRECIATE IT VERY
MUCH.
I MAY NEED THIS AS FOLLOW AS.

DIRECT TELE/NUMBER....
FAX/NUMBER.......
HOUSE NUMBER........
DRIVER LICENCE.......
OCCUPATION...........

REQUIRED FROM YOU AND REPLY ME AT drkufor@walla.com
THANKS AND HAVE MY BEST REGARDS,
MR KUFOR MENSAH.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam