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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:
  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)
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "million 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)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447031890684 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Mark Davis" <markdavis243@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <markdavis101@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 07:55:41 +0000
Subject: FROM MARK DAVIS URGENT ASSISTANT



FROM MR. MARK DAVISTELEPHONE:+44-7031890684Centre 49-51 Business ParkBankwood Way, Birstall, BartleyWest Yorkshire WF17 9TBUNITED KINGDOM Dear Friend, I am Mr. Mark Davis, the Offshore payment officer at the UB BANK LIMITED LONDON and close friend to Late Mr. Johnson Chief. I am married with a daughter. It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and don't want problem, I only hope we can assist each other. If you don't want this business offer kindly forget it as I will not contact you again. In my files I discovered that my customer abandoned sum of US$25Million (Twenty Five Million United states Dollars) in our bank. On a record before my department I was made to know that on the 1st of June 2001, him and his family were involved in a plane crashwhich claimed his life and that of the entire family.
Since I got information about his death, My office has been expecting his next of kin to come over and make claim of this money which is currently deposited in our custody because the UB BANK LIMITED cannot release it directly to me or any other person unless somebody applies for the release of it as next of kin to the deceased as indicated in our mutual agreement (Between THE DECEASED and the UB BANK LIMITED), unfortunately his supposed next of kin died along with him in the Plane crash. It therefore upon discovery of the ugly news that I now decided to do business with you to direct you on how to apply with this office (UB BANK LIMITED) to assist in securing the money left behind by my friend before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank. The request of a foreigner as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that my customer was a foreigner (a foreigner in this case means he is not from UK) and the next of kin died which is the wife died alongsidewith him . Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for some years now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at USD$25million can be paid to you. And then you and l can share the money.60% to me and 40% to you, I have two necessary legal documents that can be used to backup any claim we may make. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
Please endeavor to contact me immediately or call me on my private number +44-7031890684 or to my email for briefings expecting a positive response soonest. Sincerely yours,Mr. Mark Davis
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam