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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: UK THAILAND LOTTERY <lottery_codinator12@yahoo.co.th>
Reply-To: kaneivabangkok208882@live.com
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 05:09:22 +0100
Subject: *****SPAM***** UK-THAILAND LOTTERY ORGANIZATION


Spam detection software, running on the system "mail.tugab.bg", 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: UK-THAILAND LOTTERY ORGANIZATION NO 4, RAJIMOND STREET BANGKOK
THAILAND ASIA.TICKET FREE/ONLINE E-MAIL ADDRESS WINNINGS DEPARTMENT. UK-THAILAND
LOTTO ONLINE WINNINGS NOTIFICATION OF US$4.1M. If you are the correct owner
of this email address,Be glad this day as the result of the UK-Thaland lottery
Online E-mail Winning draws and sweepstakes held in BANGKOK-THAILAND on the
11th of Sept 2008 has just been released and we are glad to announce to you
that your e-mail address has won you the lottery in the first category and
you are entitled to claim the sum of US$4.1M. [...]

Content analysis details: (5.9 points, 5.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
1.5 DNS_FROM_RFC_BOGUSMX RBL: Envelope sender in bogusmx.rfc-ignorant.org
-1.8 ALL_TRUSTED Passed through trusted hosts only via SMTP
2.1 SUBJ_ALL_CAPS Subject is all capitals
1.3 MISSING_HEADERS Missing To: header
0.0 BAYES_50 BODY: Bayesian spam probability is 40 to 60%
[score: 0.5000]
2.9 KAM_LOTTO1 Likely to be a e-Lotto Scam Email
-0.0 AWL AWL: From: address is in the auto white-list



Anti-fraud resources: