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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:

• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +22995234858 (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.
  • sagaymrdon@yahoo.de (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRDON SAGAY" <mrdon_sagay_8@ig.com.br>
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:12:38 +0200
Subject: URGENT REPLY


Dear Friend,

I wish to inform you that this letter is not a hoax mail and I urge you to
treat it serious because I believe it is only a day that people meet and
become great friends and business partners. My name is Mr.Don Sagay the
present branch Manager of a bank here in Benin. I write you this proposal in
good faith, believing that I can trust you with the information I am about
to reveal to you. Like I said, I have a transaction that will benefit both
of us; your assistance is required as a foreigner. As I resumed duty, I
discovered an account with total sum of 15.700.000¤ (Fifteen Million Seven
Hundred Thousand Euros) that has not been operated for the past years. From
my investigation, I found out that this account belongs to one late Dr. Jack
Hartman a great industrialist and a resident of Guinean Conakry, who
unfortunately lost his life along with his family.

The account has no other beneficiary because I have kept a close monitoring
of the account since then and nobody has come forward to ask about the money
as next of kin to the late Jack Hartman meaning that no one is aware of the
account. I cannot directly take out this money without the help of a
foreigner and that is why I am contacting you for an assistance to claim the
funds and share it with me. As the Manager of my bank branch, I have the
power to influence the release of the funds to any foreigner that comes up
as the next of kin to the account, with the correct information concerning
the account, which I shall give you.

I am seeking your co-operation to present you as the next of kin to the
account, so that my bank will release the funds to you. There is practically
no risk involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. If you accept to
work with me, I want you to state how you wish us to share the funds in
percentage, so that both parties will be satisfied. Contact me as soon as
you receive this message if you feel we can work together, so we can go over
the details.

Email: (sagaymrdon@yahoo.de) telephone +22995-234858

Thanks and remain blessed. Please, treat with utmost confidentiality.

I wait your urgent response. Yours Sincerely,

Mr.Don Sagay.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam