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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:
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Stephen Woh" <stevewoh1960@excite.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:15:41 +0800
Subject: Urgent response.

It may surprise you receiving this letter from me, since there was no previous correspondence between us. My name is Mr. Stephen Woh Malaysian national and head of accounts department (Alanz Bank Malaysia).

My purpose of contacting you is for you to help secure the funds left behind by a late customer, to avoid it being confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank. Where this fund valued ($US 3,600,000.00) Three Million Six Hundred Thousand United States Dollars deposited by the deceased before his death.

My Bank has been looking for the beneficiary/next of kin or the account will be declared unserviceable and the fund diverted to the Bank treasury, Hence, I have contacted you.

I am actually asking for your consent to present you to the Bank as the Next of Kin/ beneficiary of the deceased's fund, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to your account, then we can share the fund on a mutually agreed, based on percentage.

All the legal documentations to back up your claim as the deceased's Next of Kin I shall provide them. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us achieve this transaction.

The intended transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any infraction of the law.However, if this business proposition offends your moral ethics, do accept my sincere apology. If on the contrary you wish to achieve this goal with me kindly get back to me with your interest via this email address for further explanation.

Warmest Regards,

Mr. Stephen Woh

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam