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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.

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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:
  • "the consignment " (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)
  • "you will take 25%" (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)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs Fatima Ali <mrsfatimaprivate8@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <mrsfatima.ali2007@yahoo.fr>
Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 14:14:31 +0200
Subject: Dearest Friend, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND GET BACK TO ME.




Dearest Friend, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND GET BACK TO ME.

I crave your indulgence at this mail coming from somebody you have not know before. I decided to do this after praying over the situation. You should please consider the transaction on its content and not the fact that you have not known me before. I need not dwell on how I came by your contact information because there are many such possibilities these days.

I would like to introduce myself as Mrs. Fatima Ali, of Repulic of Benin, widow to Late Mr. Usman Ali (for Consular of the benin embassy in Madrid,Spain.I have been recently been daigonosed of Cancer of the Pelvics. I am writing from my sick bed in a CHINESE HOSPITAL here in Benin Republic.

There is this consignment (containg US$29.5Million cash, in US$100 bills) my husband deposited with a security company, here in Cotonou,Republic of Benin of which I am the next of kin. With my health condition and because my husband and I have no children, I am looking for a credible person to whom I will pass the right of next of kin. This person will apply to the company and request, from them, the procedure towards retrieving the consignment from them.

This is on the condition that you will take 25% of the fund for yourself, 15% used for expenses, while you will use the remaining 60% for the less previlege people in the society. This is in fulfilment of the last request of my husband: that a substantial part of the fund be used to carter for the less previleged.

If this condition is acceptable to you, you should contact me immediately with your full names and contact information so that I will send you all the documents that the company gave to my husband when the consignment was deposited. So that you will contact the company directly, and demand from them the procedure towards retrieving the consignment from their company.

I cannot predict what will be my fate by the time you wll recieve the fund, but you should please ensure that the fund is used as i have described above. I look forward to your response.

Best Regards
Mrs. Fatima Ali

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam