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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:
  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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million us 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)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard Guei" <rrrguei13@gala.net>
Reply-To: rr.guei1@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2008 10:20:42 -0700
Subject: Good Day


Hello and Good Day to you,

My name is Richard (22yrs). I am an Ivorian and the son of late General
Robert Guei but presently residing in Accra, Ghana. With due respect, I
contact you for your cooperation and assistance. Though I have not met with
you before but I believe one has to make an adventure before one succeed in
life. I wish to confide in you for my brighter future. There is an amount of
Eight Million US Dollars and 55 kilograms of Gold which my late Father
deposited in a safekeeping company before his assassination by rebels in
Côte d'Ivoire years back.

My father General Robert Guei is the first Ivorian military head of state
who lasted for only 10 months in office as a president. My father was killed
with the other government officials including the Interior Minister during
action by government forces to suppress an uprising by troops in Abidjan;
they also invaded our residence in which my mother, my elder brother and our
two security men were killed in the compound. I had a singular shock and
trauma, which compelled me to flee from the country to Ghana with the help
of an Army Cornel who is a friend of my late father.

Recently, all papers relating to this deposit were discovered in one of the
secret files he kept in his official residence in Abidjan the capital Côte
d'Ivoire. In the depository agreement which he entered with the company, it
was clearly stated that the boxes should be released to his family in his
absence or death for investment purposes, based on that, I have decided to
appoint you as a partner to help me retrieve the boxes and invest the money
overseas and also sell the 55 kilograms of Gold

I want you to help me claim and retrieve the boxes from the Company here in
Ghana for my future investment purposes If you assure us that you can handle
this fund for me, I will give you more information on receipt of your
willingness to assist me.

Yours truly,

Richard Guei

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam