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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "a security company " (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. )
  • "huge amount of money" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Prince Kofi <prince.kofi2@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 21:15:01 +0000
Subject: GET IN TOUCH



My Dear,

Greetings to you, I want you to read this mail with a
compassionate heart and understand that any action you
are taking is towards rendering assistance to a boy
who is in distress.

My name is Prince Kofi Asare,i am 22yrs and am from
ivory coast, my parents are late, my father is an
international business man and before his death,

he left a huge amount of money in a security company
in Ghana, that’s why am in Ghana for 6 month now
looking for a patina to assist me

Furthermore, I have decided to set apart 10% for the
expenses you may inure during this project.
Please if it toughies you to assist me, am looking for
a foreign partner that will help me clam this money
and it will be transferred to his or her country for
an investment, why I continue my schooling over their
in your country, please if you will assist me, am
offering you 25% of the total amount of the money,

please i you are touched get back to me on mail

Regards
Prince Kofi Asare

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam