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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:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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: "benedict solomon" <benedict15@gala.net>
Reply-To: benedict.solomon@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:56:13 +0000
Subject: Dearest One,


Dearest One,

We know our mail will come to you as a suprise knowing fully that you do
not have an idea of who we are.Well my name is Benedict Solomon 19 years and
my sister Laura 17 years from Sierre-leone currently residing in Cote
D'ivoire.we are seriously seeking for your assistance in transferring a
huge sum of money worth $18.5m for onward investment opportunity abroad and
currently lodged in a bank here in Cote d'Ivoire.

Which our late father Chief Benjamin Solomon former director of finance
sierra-leone diamond and mining corporation deposited on behalf of his
foreign business partner abroad before his untimely death,Now we want you as
the beneficiary for claims of the fund into your private account.

On your willingness to assist we will be offering 15% for your assistance
and will be informing on the way forward while based on this we kindly need
the followings from you.

1. Your full name
2. Your private telephone and fax number
3. Your current Address contact

All this we will submit to the bank for them to contact you for onward
transfer of the fund into your acount.
We wait for your response.

Yours sincerely
Benedict Solomon

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam