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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. )
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Barr.Omar Pela" <omarpela1@student.com>
Reply-To: barr.omarpela1@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:00:22 +0000
Subject: URGENT REPLY


Dear friend,

Good day to you, infact the inspiration to contact you is divine am Bar.
Omar Pela, an attorney at law, the personal Attorney to Mr.Andereas
Shranner, a national of your country the Chief Executive/President of Kutner
Associates Company in Ghana. On the 2nd of August 2003, my client, his wife
and their only child were involved in a car accident along Nkrumah Express
Road. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since
then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended
relatives, as his son to whom he willed his assets was also involved in the
accident.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I eventually came across one of
Mr. Andrea's Shranner distant cousins who resided in Indonesia .We commenced
the process, but unfortunately, he lost his life in the recent Tsunami
Disaster, which claimed over 175,000 people, barely 2 weeks after we met.
Bewildered by this occurrence, and coupled with the fact that it's not
compulsory that the next-of-kin must be a blood relation to the deceased,
since the next-of-kin can be anybody, your friend or organization (Charity
Organization).

I have contacted you to assist me retrieving the funds in a certain
investment account of his valued at about $18,500,000.00 (Eighteen Million
Five Hundred United State Dollars only left behind by my client before they
got confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Finance House where these
huge deposits were lodged. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the
relatives, I now seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the
deceased since you are from the same country. Upon my receipt of your
positive response, we shall then discuss the necessary modalities.

I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up your claim
as the next-of-kin, all I require is your honest co-operation to enable us
see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please get in touch with me immediately you acknowledge the good receipt of
this mail via return mail :
Anticipating your prompt response.

Best Regards,
Barrister . Omar Pela (Esq.)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam