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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:
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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:
  • "million pounds" (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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Michael Roy" <jeffjohnson2@rya-online.net>
Reply-To: michael.roy23@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:26:55 GMT
Subject: LET ME CONFIDE IN YOU!!!

P.O.Box 3038,57 Victoria
Street London sw1h,
London.

I am Mr Michael Roy, from London. I want to seek your
assistance after my discovery during auditing in my bank as
am the Manager of Bill and Exchange at the Foreign
Remittance Department of NATWEST BANK PLC. In my department
I discovered an abandoned sum of £12.5 million pounds in
an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Mr
Morris Thompson who died along with his entire family in
Alaska Plane crash on February 4th 2000. View this website
for verification
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/.

Since his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to
come over and claim his money because we cannot release it
unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to
the deceased as indicated in our banking and financial
policies but unfortunately all the efforts proved abortive.

It is therefore upon this discovery that I decided as the
head of my department to make this business proposal to you
and release the money to you as the next of kin or relation
to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since
nobody is coming for it and we don't want this money to go
into the bank treasury as unclaimed bills.

Do not view this as being illegal but an opportunity for us
to help enrich our hope in life instead of the bank
converting this much money to the security funds. You should
not nurse any atom of fear as all required arrangements have
been made for the smooth transfer of these funds and your
acceptance is what will crown this effort.

Remain blessed,
Mr Michael Roy.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam