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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)
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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:
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Edward Kufa <mr_edku4@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: edwardkufa@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:16:11 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: confidential, Get back to me Urgently


Compliment,

My name is Mr. Edward Kufa a political activist and an attorney. I am a member of my party's executive committee.

My aim of contacting you is to crave your indulgence to assist us in securing some funds abroad for safe keeping which incidentally was kept to help us finance the forth coming elections this 2008 December. Fortunately with my immediate assistance, and contact, we were able to deposit the money in a Bank security vault pending when the fund would be needed.

The need to contact you arose from the fact that the present government is cracking down on the opposition and trying to trace all the funds that belong to it, if they succeed in tracing this fund to us, they will seize it and thereby incapacitating our campaign abilities.

We wish to relocate this fund in a foreigner's name to avoid any trace. All I need from you is an assurance that you can handle the amount involved (US$19,500,000) comfortably and that I can also trust you with

this arrangement. Be rest assured that there is no risk involved since I have taken care of everything. I want you to immediately inform me of your willingness in assisting and co-operating with us, so that I can send you full details of this transaction and we will make arrangement and discuss at length on how to transfer this funds.

I am able to give you my name without fear because I got your email address contact from a very reliable and dependable friend whose judgment I trust completely, so it would be appreciated if you can maintain the confidential nature of this letter and the whole transaction.

Please if you are not interested in this business, let me know in time, so that I can contact someone else….Pls call me because is important to discuses via telephone +233-245609185

Yours sincerely,
Mr. Edward Kufa


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam