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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million 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 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.
  • mrorr.terry@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "HomeCo Online" <vacancy@homeco.co.uk>
Reply-To: online.homecouk@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:53:35 +0800
Subject: ****SPAM(5.2)**** Online opportunity


Spam detection software, running on the system "ns1.limo.net", has
identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message
has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or label
similar future email. If you have any questions, see
the administrator of that system for details.

Content preview: Hello, I am Mr. Terry Orr and i work with Lloyds TSB Bank
plc. I have a business proposal for you worth 16 million pounds. With a response
from you confirming your interest, I'll let you know the full details of
the business.Please kindly reply me in my private email address :mrorr.terry@gmail.com
[...]

Content analysis details: (5.2 points, 5.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
2.8 RCVD_IN_SBL RBL: Received via a relay in Spamhaus SBL
[82.128.33.54 listed in zen.spamhaus.org]
0.5 RCVD_IN_PBL RBL: Received via a relay in Spamhaus PBL
1.8 DATE_IN_PAST_12_24 Date: is 12 to 24 hours before Received: date
0.0 HTML_MESSAGE BODY: HTML included in message
0.1 RDNS_NONE Delivered to trusted network by a host with no rDNS
0.0 AWL AWL: From: address is in the auto white-list

The original message was not completely plain text, and may be unsafe to
open with some email clients; in particular, it may contain a virus,
or confirm that your address can receive spam. If you wish to view
it, it may be safer to save it to a file and open it with an editor.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam