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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • aaron_gerardd@excite.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Aaron Gerard Sankar" <aaron_gerard2@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: aaron_gerardd@excite.com
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 15:52:50 +0800
Subject: For your kind Attention

For your kind Attention
Dear Friend,
I am Aaron Gerard Sankar ,an attorney at law based in Kuala lumpur Malaysia . A deceased client of mine,by name Mr.Sheu Yuan Dong a former Governor reserve bank of Taiwan ,who here in after shall be referred to as my client, died as a result of a plane crash on February 16 1998 .
Please View this website:
<http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9802/16/taiwan.crash.update2/>
I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my client before it isconfiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at US$6.5 million dollars is lodged.
This bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated. My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you.Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage.
All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided.All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through.
This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. If this business proposition offends your moral values,do accept my apology. Please contact me at once to indicate your interest by replying to my private email address : aaron_gerardd@excite.com
Regard,
Barrister Aaron Gerard Sankar

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam