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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "transferred into your bank account" (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)
  • "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: George Kouma <georgekouma23@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <georgekouma3@myway.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:24:42 +0200
Subject: =?windows-1256?Q?UGENT;FROM_MR_GEORGE_KOUMA=FD?=



Dear Friend,
How are you today? Hope that all is all well with you there ,I know that my letter may come to you as a surprise, but you need not to worry as I use this way to contact you it is due to it is only means I can reach you confidentially as a foreign to seek for your assistance in this matter I am Mr. George Kouma Manager Audit And Account Department African Development Bank (A.D.B.)
I have the opportunity of transferring an abandon funds worth the sum of nineteen million, three hundred thousand united states dollars ($19,300,000.00 US Dollars) for business investment in a foreign country and this fund was abandoned and left unclaimed with our bank since the real owner died. And i would like to tell you clearly what i want from you as regards to this transaction i would like you to act as the beneficiary to the deposited fund so that the bank will transfer the money into your bank account .
The money belongs to our customers who died few years ago with all his family members in a plane crash, moreover it is a current joint-account between him and his wife whereas they endorsed their children to be their successor in case of any problem occurred to them but unfortunately sudden death took away all his children and that is why I write to you to assist to transfer the money into your bank account,
The only important thing I need from you regards to this transaction is for you to apply to our bank as the only existing next-of-kin of the foreign deceased customer of our bank because since our bank got information about his death, the bank have been expecting his next of kin to come over and claim his money but no body have show up as his next of kin for the claim because the account is untraceable and the bank cannot release it unless somebody applies for it as the next of kin or relation to the deceased, as indicated in our banking guidelines which our bank will replace the deceased account information through proper documentation in position of your own account
Therefore, I will like you to know that this is a confidential and sealed deal, and I will us to join together and achieve the success of this transaction Note this transaction is risk-free, of drug, terrorist fund and money laundering or another other related acts. It will never harm your good reputation in your society because no one can trace the account, and on the instant of the transfer of the fund into your account, the chapter of this transaction will be closed entirely.
And after every thing have gone successfully and the money gets transferred into your bank account you will take 40% while I will take 60% of the total sum this will be once the money is transferred into your bank account, also be aware that you will get another 30% from the profit from the investment which you will act as the fund manager.
Finally note that I will resign from work and come over to your country once the fund hits your account and I will still need your assistance to direct me for business investment in your country and you are the one to issue me a letter of invitation or visa immediately the fund get transferred please.
If you are interested in this transaction ,you are to go ahead and reply this mail immediately with the following information so that I will let you know the next step to follow immediately in order to finalize this transaction in a period of time. Your full name, address, phone and fax numbers, occupation, Your nationality and your photograph for more details and how to transfer the fund into you bank account.
Regards,Mr George Kouma
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam