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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:
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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "your country for safe keeping" (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)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "chankou010 Gazeta.pl" <chankou010@gazeta.pl>
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 14:02:44 +0200
Subject: From Miss Chantal Kouakou


>From Miss Chantal Kouakou

Good day,
Please i know you will be offset or suprise with the content of this mail
but its something i dont know how to handle on my own and will not be
posible for me to handle single handedly.

My name is Chantal Kouakou daughter of Mr Mbama Kouakou, i am only child of
my parents and we are from Sierra Leone but now i am in Rep of Cote D'Ivoire
where i have been taking refugee after the brutal war and killing of my
parents by gang up of my father's uncle and rebels during the fighting in my
country Sierra Leone.

Because of the war my Father sold his shipping company and took me to a
nearby country Cote D'Ivoire where he deposited US$9.700,000 Million in a
Security Company in Abidjan- Cote D'ivoire.

But due to the current political instability in Cote D'Ivoire, i am seeking
for your assistance to lift this money out from Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire to
your Country for safe keeping and to invest this money over there in your
Country. I will mail you with full details on how the money was deposited by
my father with the security company as soon as i read from you for an
assistance.

I will offer you 20% of the total sum for your help immediately the money
get to you in your country and i will like to invest the money in any
lucrative business you know very well and i will relocate to your country to
further my study as soon the money get to you.

Please kindly get back to me if you are interested to assist me.

Best Regards
Miss Chantal Kouakou.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam