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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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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.
  
• 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.
  • gladys.duke2008@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: guthrie0@poczta.onet.pl
Reply-To: gladys_duke2008@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:18:26 +0000
Subject: Greetings From Miss. Gladys Duke

Miss. Gladys Duke
Reform Church of God,
23/24 Cocody Avenue
Abidjan Cote divoire

Dear Sir,

I know this mail will come to you as a surprise since we have not had previous correspondence, please bear with me. I will really like to have a good relationship with you, and I have a special reason why I decided to contact you.
I am Miss gladys Duke 18 years of age from Abidjan CotedéIvoire and the only daughter of late Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Duke who was assasinated in November 2007 last year here in Abidjan Ivory Coast due to political uprising.

My father was formerly the Chief accountant of cocoa processing and exporting company here in Abidjan the capital city. And finally a real estate investor before he died. It was after their death that I was made to know that Mr. and Mrs Kenneth Duke do not have a child but they adopted me to be their child. At this very moment the family do not want to accept me again, they have seized all our properties and out of fear to save my life I have to run to an orphanage home under the Reform Church of God where I hide myself.

Now as a legally adopted child, I had wanted to follow the legal way but the Church Pastor made me to realized that I may loose my life after all since I do not know the source of the death of my step parents.

Here in the orphanage camp, I took some my late fathers files where I discovered deposite documents of Five Million Five hundred Thousand US Dollars U$5,500,000.00 deposited by my late step Parents and used my name as the next of kin in depositing the money. I ran to the bank fast with the documents and it was confirmed by the bank Manager that such deposite was made by my late father but because of my age I can not have access to the money yet unless I present a guardian who will stand for me and receive the money as instructed by my late father.

Please, I am not mandating you but humbly seeking your kind understanding to this urgent matter by Gods grace and stand as my legal guardian and trustee and help me to receive and invest this fund in your country, you will also assist me to come over there for my studies. I wait for your mail if you are pleased to assist me.
May God bless you.

Miss. Gladys Duke.
gladys.duke2008@yahoo.fr

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam