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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "tonyclarke Gazeta.pl" <tonyclarke@gazeta.pl>
Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 18:07:49 +0100
Subject: Investment proposal


Dear friend,

With high regards to your office and personality I plead your strict
understanding to open a transaction with you. I am very sorry to have verged
into your privacy without your prior knowledge. This was due to my dire and
urgent need for an assistance.

I am a civil servant by status and the law of my country does not permit me
neither others to own or operate a domiciliary account.

By virtue of my position, I was able to secure some fund amounting to the
tune of Fifteen Million United States Dollars Only (US$15M) which I cannot
claim in my name or favour hence my contacting you to seek your assistance
in the claims of this fund which I intend investing in your country or
elsewhere where the incident of TAX is very low.

I shall be glad if you can assist me get this fund into your account or
somehow out of the bank where the fund is deposited for the investment. I
shall do everything within my reach to avoid either of us getting into
trouble which could tarnish our images now or in the future.

If this proposal is acceptable by your good self, kindly permit me to start
the processes by forwarding your following details to me for immediate
action;

Your full names
Your Address
Your Telephone number
Your nominated bank account details into which the fund will be transferred.

Please note that your details are required for the purpose of documenting
the fund in your favour as the beneficiary and for my personal record
purpose.

It may interest you to know that I have done this before and was scammed so
this time around I want to be careful with whomever am dealing with though I
know you are a man of high intergrity and personality.

Do not entertain any fear as this is risk free for as long as you can
maintain absolute secrecy.

Thanks in anticipation of your understanding.

Sincerely yours,

Tony Clarke

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam