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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge deposit" (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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • adjo1000@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: adjo davis <adjodavis01@yahoo.co.in>
Reply-To: adjod1000@yahoo.co.in
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 12:13:45 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Dear Friend


From The Desk of:
Mr.Adjo Davis,
Uniontogolaise Bank.

Dear Friend,

I am Mr.Adjo Davis , An accounting officer to Mr.Greg Peters., a national of your country, who worked with RIMS Groupe SARL, a construction firm and have spent most of his life in my country (Togo) hereinafter shall be referred to as my client.

On the 21st of April 2003, he was reported dead, He was killed while on a Trade Mission to the Republic of Cote d'Ivore during the civil war there. My enquiries revealed that his vehicle was ambushed by Boake rebels who mistook him for a Goverment merchenary. Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of his extended relatives, which has also proved unsuccessful. After these several fervent unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating a sum capital valued at US$16.5 million left behind by him before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Uniontogolaise Bank, Togo where this huge deposit were lodged.

This said Union Togolaise Togo has issued me a notice to provide the "BENEFICIARY" or have the account confiscated within the next twenty one(21) banking days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 1 year now, I seek the consent to present you as the beneficiary to the estate of the deceased , so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the modalities for transfer. I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for the claim.

All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

I wait to hear from you soon.

Best regards,
Mr.Adjo Davis.
Lomé, Republique du Togo
Alternative email address (adjo1000@sify.com)

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam