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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447005807937 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • paulzillquestb12g@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: infob123456@mchsi.com (Mr. Paul Lockett)
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 22:58:37 +0000
Subject: Email your response

Good day,

This email may come to you as a surprise as we have not had a formal contact but
I am desperate to make contact with you through this means as a last resort. I
am Paul Lockett the Personal Assistant (Middle East) to Mr. Khodorkovsky, who is
a prominent Russian, and whom here in after shall be referred to as my client.
Since 2005, my Client has been having series of issues with the government and
this has lead to us closing down most of our offshore business accounts to avoid
confistication by the government.

In the course of closing down operations, I have discovered the existence of
ideal funds trapped in an offshore account in the United Kingdom. Forty-Nine
Million Five hundred United States Dollars Only ($49,500,000.00). The existence
of these funds is known Only by me as all documents in relation to the existence
of this account is assumed destroyed by my client. Due to my present travel
restrictions by the government, I am constrained.

These funds are secured in an escrow account in the United Kingdom and can be
transferred from the escrow account to your personal or business account once
you have assured me of your ability and capacity to receive the funds for
disbursement amongst the two of us at a ration of 50:50%. The funds were
deposited in my name as a front for my client and all documents in relation to
this bears my name to avoid the search by the government, so you need not
entertain any worries.

To verify my claim, I would provide you the Escrow account details of the
offshore account to enable you verify the existence of these funds. Once you
have verified and you are in a position to assist in receiving the funds on my
behalf, then I would provide you more details.

1. To verify, please call the ATM Number of the Bank: +44-700-580-7937
2. You would require to put your account pin code followed by # key
ACCOUNT PIN CODE: 20398 #
3. Account Number: 265963

The account balance can be confirmed from the steps above. I would provide you
the name and contact officer at the bank so as to enable you make collection and
thereafter we would share the funds in equal ratio. The whole process for
collection should take approximately 7 bank working days if you follow the steps
and procedure for receipt
Of the funds by the bank accordingly.

Please get back to me only after you have verified my claims and you would be a
serious and committed partner in this business relationship.

Note: You can get in contact with me at my private e-mail below: Email:
(paulzillquestb12g@yahoo.co.uk)


Best Regards,
Mr. Paul Lockett

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam