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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:
  • "keep this confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: verificationdept44@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:13:43 GMT
Subject: WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER




WESTERN UNION PUBLIC RELATIONS
P=2EO=2E Box 502
Killorglin=2C Co Kerry
Ireland=2E

Attention=3A WINNER
This is to inform you that you have been
awarded a cash prize of
=A3250=2C000=2E00 (Two hundred and fifty thousand
Great British Pounds) Itis our
tradition in WESTERN UNION to reward by
giving awards to deserving
customers who have shown by continous
patronage their trust in ourservices=2E
To begin the process of awarding your prize=2C
you are to contact our
WESTERN UNION CUSTOMERS RELATION DEPARTMENT
through our agent contact
address below=2E You are also advised to
provide him with the under
listed information=27s as soon as possible
for the speedy transfer of your
award prize =2EThis is your winning pin
number XZB120964MW=2ENote that you
are to keep this confidential from anybody
and your winning pin number for
future claims=2E

Sir=2EGere Andrew

Email=3Averificationdept44=40hotmail=2Ecom

1=2ENames in full=2E------
2=2EAddress=2E-------
3=2ENationality=2E---------------
4=2EAge=2E-------
5=2EOccupation=2E------------
6=2ETelephone Number=2E-------
7=2EShort comment on our services=2E
=5Boptional=5D=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
8=2EFax =5Boptional=5D=2E------------
9=2EEmail address=2E ------------
10monthly salary------------
11=2EDo You Have Any Question About Our
Service=3F
Congratulations again from all our staff and
thank you for your
continous trust in our services and please
do tell us how to treat you
better=2E
Sincerely=2C
Rita Wilford=2E

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam