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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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:
  • "a security company " (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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: david ford <davidforda91@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <alam_esia@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 06:23:55 +0000
Subject: ENQUIRY



Attention,


I want to enquire if the Pre March 1996 USD Notes is still a legal tender in your Country? Is it possible to exchange the dollar Notes in your Country? If your answer is yes, then I urgently need your help! In appreciation of your esteemed contact received through a reliable source and the choice, I wish to introduce myself. My name is Mr.David Ford, the son of Mr.Terry Ford of Zimbabwe. During the current crisis against the farmers of Zimbabwe by the supporters of our President Robert Mugabe to claim all the white owned farms in our country, he ordered all the white farmers to surrender their farms to his party members and their followers. You can view websites:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1878846.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1880941.stmhttp://www.canadafreepress.com/2002/edesk101402.htm

My dad lost his life in the process and life became miserable for us; but fortunately, on last Monday (my 26th birthday), my mother told me a TOP SECRET that my father kept USD20MILLON! in my name with a Security Company in ITALY!I demanded further explanation and she said that my father hid the money before the new 100 dollar bill was introduced! and kept it in Italy and was making arrangement for us to move to Italy for investment and relocation before his untimely death, because the government of Robert Mugabe has been fighting him and other farmers.

My reason for communicating you is a search for a foreigner who can help us out by making a trip to ITALY for the claim of the money with the security company.If you are interested in helping me and my mother to go to Italy on our behalf and change this money you will be rewarded with 15% of the total amount USD20M; Urgently send your complete contact details including postal address, telephone/fax and mobile phone. On recipient of your positive response, I will then furnish you with my plans and further details. But if you can’t assistance me... kindly delete from your email box and forget I ever contacted you.

With best regards,Mr. David FordFor the family
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam