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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "trunk box" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Vivian Sankoh" <viviansans_love@hotmail.fr> (may be fake)
Reply-To: viviansans_love@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 23:45:59 +0200
Subject: Dearest Beloved,

Dearest Beloved,
This business proposal to you is strictly confidential, with due respect .Thanks at this perceived confusion or stress you may have receiving this letter from me, Since we have not known ourselves or have ever meet face to face, but thank God that i have had opportunity to write you first through dating site..

Despite that, I am constrained to write you this letter because of the urgency of it. Andi also want to tell you that i am ready to have a good relationship with you as soon as this proposal is accepted to you, and i will not like to make any mistake since this is mylast hope of life.

I am Miss.Vivian Sankoh, the daugther of late Gen.Sankoh Fodeh former ECOMOG [West African peacekeeping force] commander who died in the Sierra Leone civil disturbance [War].My Father,son and I are trapped in obnoxious custom traditional rites. We have suffered maltreatment and unto hardship in the hands of my late Father's family. They have taken all that I suffered with my Father to acquire including treasure, houses and his bank accounts closed by them.
I wanted to escape to the United State of America[USA} but again they conspired and st ole my international passport and other traveling documents to further frustrate me.
Thank God, two weeks ago, I received Key Text Code [KTC]from my dearest Brother that our Father deposited U.S $5.700 Million [Five Million Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars] in a box wih a security company with his name as the next of kin and he handed this key and documeent over to him, which the Security Company did not know the real content of the box, as our late Father made it clear to them as a family valuables. It has therefore, become very necessary and urgent to contact some one, a foreigner like you to help us receive/secure this funds overseas and to help us invest it on our behalf as well, while we find a way of getting out to meet with you in your country for the purpose of investmennt of this fund.

Please be honest to us and keep it confidentail to avoid detection, seizure or diversion. I have had several telephone discussions with the Security Company Director of the said consiegnment, but he told me that unless my late Father's foriegn partner oversons forward his application for withdrawal This is why I have contacted you to help save my brother and I,receive these funds on our behalf.
But, you would need to give us sufficient assurance that if you help
us, you would not divert the funds. My brother and I have resolved to give you 10% of the total sum.

This is all my brother and I have got to live on. Please, we have reposed our confidence in you and hope you will not disappoint us. We will forward to you the contact to the Director of this Security company to enable you contact him and ask him the possibility of receiving this box containing the funds on our behalf as the sole beneficiary look forward to your urgent response,but note that the Security Company dose not know the real content of this trunk box rather they know it as family valuables. As soon as you show your interrest to assist us,then I will forward to you the Document being issue to my late Father at the day of deposit for the claim.
Thanks and God be with you,awaiting for your immediate response and I will send to you my pictures once I read from you again.
Best Personal Regards.
Vivian Sankoh.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam