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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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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:
  • "it will be a bank to bank transfer" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "there are practically no risks involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • mic.ezra@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR MICHAEL EZRA." <mic.ezra@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mic.ezra@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:01:42 -0800
Subject: I HOPE TO WORK WITH YOU.

FROM:MR MICHAEL EZRA.
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.
INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK
ALTERNATIVE EMAIL:mic.ezra@yahoo.co.uk

I HOPE TO WORK WITH YOU.

ATTN: My Dear,

My name is MR MICHAEL EZRA; I am the manager of the international commercial Bank-Ghana, first light Accra .

I got your information on a recent bank conference with other West African countries held in Lome the capital city of Togo in West Africa .

I write you this proposal in good faith; I am 52 years old married with three lovely kids . I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and I, as the regional manager of the International Commercial Bank of 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 2006 business report, I discovered that my branch in which I am the manager made Four million Eight hundred thousand united state dollars($4.800,000.00) which my head office are not aware of and will never be aware of.

I have placed this funds on what we call fixed call 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 receive this money in your bank account and get 30% of the to tatal funds as commission.

Frankly speaking I have been working in this bank for close to 10 years and I have nothing to show for it, my yearly income is barely about $2,500 USD after tax and the major reason I packaged this transaction is that I have a 9 year old daughter with leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant or she will die. I have already made arrangement for this surgery in the UK but I could not afford it, so I really need your help to do this deal or my daughter will die.

There are practically no risks involved, it will be a bank to bank transfer, and all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of these funds who made the deposit with my branch so that my head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account.

You can as well contact me through my alternative e-mail address (mic.ezra@yahoo.co.uk)

(Contact me Now) so that we can go over the details,if you think we can work together.

Thank you in advance and May God bless you and your family.

Best Regards,
Mr MICHAEL EZRA.
Rgnl Mgr,ICB BANK OF GHANA .

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam