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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
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned 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: sarah mitchel <sarah_mitchelc@yahoo.co.nz>
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 03:26:17 +1300 (NZDT)
Subject: To A Very Nice One:


Dear Friend,

I am Ms Sarah Mitchel, the Personal Accountant to the General Manager of a financial company in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. I want to inquire from you if you can handle this transaction for mutual benefits/life opportunity for you and me. (20%) for you, 80% for me.

The transaction is about assisting me as my foreign counterpart to enable us present you as the Beneficiary of the usd$48million dollars left by our late foreign customer who died in an auto crash with his family.

The Fund is currently in a suspense account awaiting claim, since the time the bank made a public notice that they are ready to release this fund to any of his relative abroad. I will give you more details about the transaction when I receive your affirmative response.

Do not take undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you by informing you of this transaction from my company as I will advise you to kindly desist from responding at all if you do NOT intend to render any assistance. Endeavour to respond via my secured email address:jennyford4u@aol.com.
Looking forward to hearing from you.May the lord be with you.

Yours truely

Ms Sarah Mitchel

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam