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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:

• 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. )
  • "million british pounds" (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 next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?Micheal=20Williams?= <micwills777@yahoo.com.co>
Reply-To: dasvitmoon2u@rambler.ru
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2008 12:41:29 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: LEGITMATE TRANSACTION


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:micwills777@yahoo.com.co



- Dear Friend,Permit me to present this proposal to you I apologize if I offend you for sending this mail to you however, is a matter of urgency and I would appreciate it if you can give attention to it. My name is Micheal Williams(QC.), Solicitor and Financial Adviser to late Mr. Bradley Robinson a property magnate and building contractor based here in the U.K. On the Thursday July 7, 2005, my client Mr. Bradley Robinson, 64, his wife Maria, 62, their daughter Andrea, 38, her husband Christian, 57, and their children Katharine, eight, and Maximilian, 10, died inside a bus that a bomb was planted in. Hallmarks of al-Qaeda .For more information about this crash and people, visit his Website: //www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,1523169,00.htmlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/5046346.stm.Before his death he has directed me to liquidate these investments into cash and depositthe proceeds into his account with a Financial/Security Institution. My client was a successful and an accomplished family man, who made enough fortune before his untimely death. He left behind a large deposit in his investment account in the Financial/Security Institution. Upon his death the Financial/Security Institution contacted me as his Solicitors and Attorney to provide them with a next of kin or foreign partner since the families he provided as next of kin for the claim died with him in the crash leaving a vacuum to be filled. I had made several inquiries on my own to locate any of his relation but all has proved unsuccessful.Two weeks ago, the Institution adopted a resolution and I was mandated to provide his next of kin or his foreign business partner/associates based on the Agreement he sign with the Institution for the fund to be released or transferred to his next of kin (His family)! Or Foreign Partner/Associate within 28 working days or forfeit the money to the Institution as abandoned by the owner with no trace of next of kin. The institution had planned to invoke the abandoned property decree of 1936 to confiscate the funds after the expiration of the period given to me.By virtue of my closeness to the deceased and his immediate family, I am very much aware of my client financial standing. I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally proper to present you as the next of kin or foreign partner of my deceased client therefore, I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin or foreign partner to the Deceased since you are qualified so that the full proceed from his Account valued at #22.2 Million British Pounds Sterling can be paid to you. I am proposing a negotiable commission of 25% for you. I have all the required information and shall assemble all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back up our claim all I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Trust me as his personal consultant that this is arisk-free transaction. If you think you are capable of handling this, get back to me immediately and provide your personal contact details and e-mail for further correspondence.Thank you and God bless.Yours truly,Micheal Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam