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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:
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Thomas Okiki" <thomasokiki@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: thomasokiki@yahoo.es
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:03:56 +0000
Subject: Hello....Respond now

Dear Business Partner,
My name is Thomas Okiki , the Chairman of Independent Committee on
Unclaimed Foreign Funds (I.C.U.F.F),Senegal ICUFF is charged with the
responsibility of finding foreign bank accounts abbroad belonging
to our late citizens which have remained dormant/unclaimed over the
years.It may interest you to know that In 2004, A list of dormant
accounts originally owned by our citizens was and sent to our country's
government.Some of these dormant accounts belonged to our late citizens
of Senegal.


The continuing efforts of the Independent Committee on Unclaimed
Foreign Funds (I.C.U.F.F)has since resulted in the discovery of
additional dormant accounts,securities accounts, safe
deposit boxes, custody accounts,non interest bearin g accounts. A
routine notification has been sent from a security firm abroad
to my office to make available the beneficiary for the claim
of US$12.5 million belonging to one of our late citizens .


The depositor died several years back leaving no possible records for
trace of heirs. I need a foreign partner to ASSIST claim this deposit
as the beneficiary.You will be required to provide
me with your details for the processing of the necessary legal, and
administrative claim documents or your claim in the Security company
abroad.Provide me with your full name,
address, and telephone/fax.


SEEING IS BELIEVING.THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED.YOUR MAXIMUM COOPERATION
NEEDED. I am pledging to give you some percentage of the total value of
the said deposit for your assistance . I want you to immediately
contact me and I will furnish you with more
information about the process of transfer to you.


Thank you for your prompt response.
Thomas Okiki .

N.B:Please respond with your full names, address, phone and fax numbers
for the immediate start up of this transaction. Do note that who you
are does not matter and you will be better informed when I hear from
you.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam