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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:

• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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 orphan 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.
  • ben_greaves@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: benard greaves <ben_greaves1@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:12:27 +0000
Subject: KIND ASSISTANCE


DEAR Friend, FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN GENUINE APPROVAL CONSIDERING THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER BEFORE, I WISH TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU.I AM BENARD GREAVES FROM ZIMBABWE, WEST AFRICA. I WRITES TO INFORM YOU MY DESIRE TO INVEST, AND TO BUY A LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY. I AM THE FIRST SON OF MR. KOFI GREAVES HE WAS THE RICHEST WHITE FARMER IN MY COUNTRY. MY FATHER HAD A BULLET SHOT BY BLACK SQUATTERS WHO CAME TO OUR FARM HOUSE IN HARARE DISGUISING THEMSELVESAS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. SEE THIS LINK TO GET ALL FURTHER INFORMATIONREGARDING HIS DEATH:http://www.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/africa/04/15/zimbabwe.land.03/ AFTER THE DEATH OF MY FATHER WE RECEIVED THREATS THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE THE COUNTRY, SO WHILE CHECKING MY FATHERS DOCUMENTS I DISCOVERED HE DEPOSITED MONEY IN A SECURITY COMPANY; THE SUM OF $19.8 MILLION USD (NINETEEN MILLION, EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) PRESENTLY MYSELF AND MY YOUNGER SISTER ARE HERE IN GHANA AND WE ARE STAYING IN A HOTEL HERE, THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY, BECAUSE MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN AFRICA TO AVOID SUSPICIONS, AND DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES, THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD, WE HAVE SINCE MADE ENQUIRIES TO THE SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE MONEY IS STILL INTACT.SIR, I NOW RELIGIOUSLY SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE IN HELPING ME TRANSFER THIS FUNDS VIA BANK TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT THEN HELP IN INVESTING THIS FUNDS IN ANY LUCRATIVE BUSINESS OF YOUR CHOICE. FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MYSELF AND MY SISTER HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE MONEY.WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT AND THE OWNERSHIP WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU THROUGH FAX ON REQUEST. NOTE: PLEASE NEVER DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY PERSON APART FROM YOU,SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS A TOP SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE. WHICH I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR DIRECT TEL/FAX NUMBER FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION. CONTACT THORUGH MY PRIVATE EMAIL BEST REGARDS, BENARD GREAVES.EMAIL: ben_greaves@hotmail.com
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam