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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +22993110188 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • mr_markfisher@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "markfisher03 Gazeta.pl" <markfisher03@gazeta.pl>
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:54:10 +0200
Subject: Fund transfer to your bank account (Confirm receipt immediately).


Fund transfer to your bank account (Confirm receipt immediately).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FROM MR.MARK FISHER (ESQ),
KLICHAP CHAMBERS & ASSOCIATES,
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC,
WEST AFRICA.
Tel:+22993110188

Good Day to you,

Private Message about your Inheritance

I am contacting you for the claim of late Mr. J. C. , fund that was
deposited with the SPRING BANK PLC Cotonou Benin, I am MR. MARK FISHER his
personal Attorney.

I am soliciting for your confidence in this matter, this is by virtue of
it's nature as being utterly confidential and top Secret. Though I know that
a contact of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but
I am assuring you that all will be well since I know everything about this
deposit

I have decided to contact you due to the urgency of this matter. My client
was an oil Merchant with Benin shell corporation Cotonou Benin, died some
years ago in Kenya Air Bus (A310-300) Flight KQ430. He had a closing balance
as at the end of september, 2001 worth $19.5M (Nineteen Million Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). The bank now expects the Next of
Kin to come forward as beneficiary.

Efforts have been made by the bank to get in touch with any his Family or
Relatives, but they have met with no success. Now the management under the
influence of the bank Chairman and Members of the Board of directors, has
made arrangement for the fund to be declared Unclaimed as a measure of
making their own money.

In order to avert this negative development, I decided to contact you and
inform you about this deposit since your name was among the listed names in
my client's personal directory, to come and stand in as the next of kin to
this account. This All documents and proof to enable you get this fund
transferred to you will be carefully worked out. I have secured from the
probate an order of Mandamus from the bank to locate any of my client's
relative, and more so am assuring you that this claim is 100% risk free.

Upon your positive responds, I shall inform you more and I we will discuss
on how I will be compensated for my good guilding and services which will be
given to me from the fund after it has been claimed.

Call me upon receipt of this message. Hoping to hear from you soon.

reply via my private email address mr_markfisher@yahoo.com

Yours Sincerely,

Barrister Mark Fisher.(SAB)
Tel: +22993110188

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam