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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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:
  • "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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: smith gerrard <rr21sg@msn.com>
Reply-To: <kkrgx2@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:38:06 +0000
Subject: BANK UBS AG,



BANK UBS AG,
Postfach 8098 Zürich ,
Switzerland .
Web site: www.ubs.com

Hello,

I am Mr.Smith Gerrard. A Chief Investment Consultant Officer, working in the Offshore Department of UBS AG, (a world's leading Financial Bank) in Switzerland. I would be happy to do this business successfully with you if you have a corporate or personal Bank Account and be capable to keep TOP SECRET.

I need strong assurance, that you will never let me down if I transfer this money to your account.

During one of our periodic auditing, I discovered this Dormant Account with holding balance of $232,000.000.00 {Two hundred and Thirty-Two Million US Dollars Only}.

This account has not been operated for the past years. I will be constrained to give you more details about this business for now until I receive your reply.

It has happened in the past, however, that customers pass away and their heirs can neither prove the death, nor their heir ship. This was a frequent occurrence during the wartime periods, and the banks have now set up a simple, rapid resolution procedure operating to their customers' advantage.

Dormant assets are defined as any assets deposited with a bank (i.e. an account, a custody account or a safety-deposit box) for which there has been no contact with the customer in the bank's files for the last ten years or
more.

If you believe you have claim to a Swiss bank account for which the holder (e.g. an ancestor) has not been in contact with the bank for over ten years, there is a fairly simple procedure to follow, depending on the date the account was opened this account has not been operated for the past years. As at this moment, I am constrained to issue more details about this business until your
response is received.

If you are not familiar with Swiss Dormant Accounts and profile, please take a moment of your very busy schedules to read about Swiss dormant accounts: website;http://www.crt-ii.org/2001 _list/publication_list1_A.phtm

If you know that you are capable to handle large or small amount on trust and can keep secret and ready to take 40% of any amount I transfer to your account from the dormant account and I will take 60%, send the following information by
return mail:

Beneficiary Bank name......
Bank address..................
Account no.....................
Swift code....................
Account name.................
Beneficiary address...........
Your phone no................
Your Occupation.............
Age…………………….


I want to re-assure you that this business is risk free and you can send an empty account to receive the funds, provided that the account is capable to receive incoming funds.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Warmest regards,


Mr.Smith Gerrard
Chief Investment Consultant
UBS AG, Postfach 8098 Zürich ,
Switzerland .
Swiss Clearing Number: 230
Postal Account: 80-2-2
SWIFT: UBSW CH ZH 80A
Web site: www.ubs.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam