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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:

• 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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million pounds" (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)
  • ",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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • info_williammorisss@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "NATWEST BANK PLC" <natwestbankplc@klikni.cz>
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 19:04:30 +0100
Subject: Urgent Response Is Needed (Reply To: info_williammorisss@yahoo.com.hk)


NATWEST BANK PLC
LAMBETH PALACE RD
LONDON SE1 7EH
FROM THE DESK OF : WILLIAM MORIS

Before proceeding, I wish to introduce myself to you; I am William Moris a
staff of Natwest Bank plc London. I am the head of the accounts department.I
am pleased to get across to you for a very urgent and profitable business
proposal which I believe will profit the both of us after completion. I
contacted you after a carefulthought that you might be capable of handling
this business transaction, which i explained below. The sum of ( £
12,500,000.00 Million Pounds), has been floating as unclaimed since 2000 in
my bank as all efforts to get across to the his relatives of our client who
deposited the money have hit thestones.All attempts to trace his next of kin
were fruitless. My position here at my office requires me to investigate and
I therefore made further investigations and discovered that Mr. Andreas
Schranner did not declare any next of kin or relation in all his official
documents, including his bank deposit paperwork in my bank.According to the
British Law. The money will revert to the ownership of the British
government if nobody applies to claim the fund. To avoid this money being
sent to the British treasury as unclaimed funds, I have decided to seek your
assistance to have you stand as his next of kin so that the said fund ( £
12,500,000.00 million pounds), would be released in your name as the next of
kin and paid into your account.All documents and proof that will have you
claim this fund without stress will be forwarded to you upon your response
to this mail more so, i want to inform you that i have unanimously agreed to
offer you (£4m) of the total sum for the assistance and role you are going
to play in this transaction(£2m)will be given to charity organizations in
your country with your supervision while the remaining will be for me.Please
send your confidential telephone and fax number in your reply to this
business transaction.

Email: info_williammorisss@yahoo.com.hk
Kind Regards ,
William Moris(Mr.)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam