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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "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)
  • "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2289970774 (Togo, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Koda Kossi Alogno <kkalogno@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: kodaalogno@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 07:41:51 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Very Urgent / call me +228 997 0774


>From The Desk Of Dr. Koda Kossi Alogno.
Manager Bill And Exchange Dept
Ecowas Bank Lome-Togo
20 rue de commerce Lome-Togo.
Tel: +228 997 0774.


Dear Friend,

I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise. I am the bill and exchange manager in ECOWAS BANK .I Hoped that you will not expose or betray this trust and confident that i am about to repose on you for the mutual benefit of our both families. I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of $11.3 million immediately to your account. The money has been dormant for years in our Bank here without any body coming for it. The owner of this account is JOSEPH F. GRILLO, foreigner and he is the Manager Of petrol chemical service, a chemical engineer by Profession. He died in world trade center as a victim of the September 11,2001 Incident that befall the United State of America, the bank has made series of efforts to contact any of the relatives to claim this money but without success, you can confirm through this website:
http://www.september11victims.com/september11Victims/VictimInfo.asp?ID=1260

I don't want the money to go into our Bank treasury as an abandoned fund. So this is the reason why i contacted you ,so that the bank can release the money to you as the nearest person to the deceased customer. Please i will like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and delete if you are not interested.
Upon receipt of your reply I will send you full details on how the business will be executed and also note that you will have 40% of the above mentioned sum if you agree to transact the business with me.

1, Can you sponsor this project?.
2, Should we give you this trust?.
3, Give us your promise that you will not betray us when this money gets into your account.

If you can handle this project, get back to me with the below informations as so as posible

Your full name ............
Your full address ........
Your age .......................
Sex ................................
Your Tel/Fax ..............
Your Country ..............

Dr.Koda Kossi Alogno.
Ecowas Bank, Lome-Togo
West Africa.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam