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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:

• 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:
  • "to your nominated 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)
  • "urgent assistance" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "transaction is risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • melo_ali5c@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: melo ali <melo_ali25d@hotmail.fr>
Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 19:59:00 +0000
Subject: urgent assistance needed



From.: Mr.Melo Ali.Bill and Exchange manager,Bank Of Africa Ouagadougou Burkina Faso. My dear, I chose to reach you through this medium because it is the fastest and most reliable way of communication, as I wish to sollicite for your urgent assistance in what I strongly believe will be of great benefit to both of us. I am Mr. Melo Ali, an Accounts Manager with BANK OF AFRICA in Burkina Faso. The issue I am presenting to you is a case of one of my late customer,a national of USA who died in a plane crash leaving an unclaimed treasury bills (Bonds) with my bank.
In 2003, my late customer invested in treasury bill bonds here in my Bank in Ouagadougou totaling 12.3 million USA Dollars .($12,300,000.00) which was due to be collected in 2005 with accrued dividends. On my yearly appraisal of my customers at the turn of every year, I discovered that this fixed deposit remained overdue for retrieval. I had put up series of mails and bank notifications to him which were sent Back uncollected. I later discovered that he passed on along with his wife and his relations In a tragic air crash in June 2003. Since his death in 2003, I have managed his account expecting any of his extended relatives to come forward to claim his money but all attempts to trace his relatives over the years has been fruitless since he did not declare any of his relatives information in his banking records with us. Added to this, professional ethics obligates us to act with extreme confidentiality when dealing with clients accounts of this type. According to the banking law, the money will be Bequeathed to the government if it remains unclaimed with the next couple months.

However, I don’t belong to that school of thought which proposes that The fortunes of unlucky people be given to the government and I am fully convinced that no one would turn up to execute the letter of Administration to claim his funds before the next 2 months. Hence, I decided to contact you to come in as the next of kin to my late customer so that the funds totalling $12,300,000.00 can then be transferred to your nominated bank account in your country within 14 working days after we have filed in your claims transfer application to the bank. I will prepare every operation that will assist you to claim the funds As the next of kin and everything will be left between you and me. The Share would be 40% for you and 60% for me. Again, I feel that you may be apprehensive and consider this amount too big for you to defend. It does not matter, as there are documents to back it up.This transaction is risk free and as the most senior account manager with the bank be rest assured that all documents to enable you get this fund as the next of kin will be carefully worked. Do not be bothered that you are not related in any way to my late customer as I am in position to affix your name as the next of kin. Kindly send your reply enclosing your Full Names, Mailing Address and Phone Number to my private email address for confidentiality, to enable me talk to you before I send you the text of application which is enclosed with the proof that you are the next of kin to the deceased customer which you will send to the bank via the bank e-mail address.
I need not emphasize the confidentiality of this issue and I therefore appeal to you not discuss this request with anybody, even if you decline to take full advantage of this great and urgent opportunity in my bank. I look forward to your quick reply by telephone or email. Sincerely, Mr. Melo Ali
Private Telephone: +226 76 26 70 58 , 00226 78 04 84 41
Private e-mail address melo_ali5c@yahoo.fr
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam