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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.

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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. )
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447045760991 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Barrister Donald Fredrick <barr.donald006@msn.com>
Reply-To: <donaldfredrick3@live.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:52:29 +0000
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED!



Dear Sir/Ma, I hope this message will meet you in good faith, please pardon me for reaching you in this manner because you do not know me, I have a proposal of mutual interest to share with you. I got your email address through the Internet for a relatively unknown person who is reliable to assist me in securing a transaction. I am Barrister Donald Fredrick. I need to ask you to partner with me in respect of my late client Mr. Charles Olen who died with his family on a business trip. He died living no will or beneficiary behind, so your help is to safeguard the money he deposited in a security company as the beneficiary before it will be declared not serviceable by the government. Please reply immediately so that i can give you the full details for more procedures. Please send the following details to me. 1) Your Full Name 2) your full contact Address Official and Residential) 3) Your Telephone and Fax 4) Your Age 5) Occupation 6) sex: Thank you for your prompt response on my alternative email: donaldfrdrick2@live.comYou can also call me on +44 704 576 0991. Regards, Barrister Donald Fredrick

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam