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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
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• 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:
  • "deadline" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "money orders " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.

Fraud email example:

From: <adz@adz.com>
Date: Sun, 18 May 2008 11:26:13 -0500
Subject: REPRESENTATIVE URGENTLY NEEDED

REPRESENTATIVE URGENTLY NEEDED

Hello,
I got your email address through an email listing affiliated with the US
Chamber of Commerce and would be very interested in offering you a
part-time paying job in which you could earn a lot. This job would be
based on contract and commission terms, it is a part-time job and it would
involve quite a handful of trust and honesty. If you would be interested
in putting a good-paying, part time job to your daily list of activities
and earning up to $4000, then you can take advantage of this opportunity
before you and by replying to this mail. Bear it in mind that this job has
nothing to do with sales or marketing, it’s an offer that you may find
very well.
I'm Mr. Robert Maxwell, 45 years old, married with 3 kids. I'm some what a
multi-talented man and I travel a lot. I just resigned my job as a
research scientist for (ARINI) Agricultural Research Institute of Northern
Ireland, which has now amalgamated with Rural Development (DARD) Science
Services on 1st April 2006 to form the Agro-Food & Biosciences Institute
(AFBI), but I still work as a freelance consultant for the institute which
gives me very much time to do my own work. Basically being a freelance
researcher who could be employed by research institutes to do research
projects anywhere in the world. I reside in UK although I've spent most of
my life in other parts of the world.
Presently, I have just been granted a fund to head a research project in
the tropical regions of West Africa regarding rare and vulnerable plant
species and this would be commencing very soon. However my findings are by
my American counterparts which sent me the bunch of payments mostly in
checks and US money orders.
Getting an accountant in the united states or opening an account would
have been my best choice but I have a deadline to meet and taking any of
those choices would cost me time and a whole lot of other requirements I
might not be ready to deal with as I travel a lot.
If you could be able to deal with cash, I might be willing to employ you
on a contract basis to be my payment representative in the united states,
this way my donors could issue and make these payments either by money
orders / checks out to you, after which you could cash it and deduct 10%
of the total amount on each payment as your commission and then send the
rest to any of our designated agents bank account.
If you work as our united states payment representative you could get a
mega fortune as we have a handful of donors there.
Kindly indicate your interest through this email: robmax45yahoo.com
Best regards,
Robert Maxwell.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam