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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +447024066244 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • walterashdownlaw@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Maria Johnson" <mariajohnson02@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 22:22:20 +0000
Subject: PLEASE READ,GOD BLESS YOU

Hello,

My name is Mrs.Maria Johnson. I am a dying woman who had decided to
donate what I have to you. I am 59 years old and was diagnosed for
cancer about 2 years ago,immediately after the death of my husband, who
had left me everything he worked for.I have been touched by God to donate
from what I have inherited from my late husband to the you for the good work
of God,rather than allow my relatives to use my husband's hard earned funds
ungodly.I have asked God to forgive me all my sins and i believe he has
because He is a merciful God.

I will be going in for an operation,and i pray that i survive the operation.
I have
decided to WILL/donate the sum of $10,500,000 (Ten million five hundred
thousand dollars)
to you for the good work of the lord, and to help the motherless,less
privileged and also
for the assistance of the widows.At the moment I cannot take any telephone
calls, due to
the fact that my relatives are around me and i have been restricted by my
doctor from taking telephone calls because i deserve all thee rest i
can get.Presently,I have informed my lawyer about my decision in
WILLING this fund to you.I wish you all the best and may the good Lord
bless you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always extend the
good work to others.

Kindly Contact my lawyer through this email address
(walterashdownlaw@yahoo.com.hk) or call his private line : +447024066244
if you are interested in carrying out thistask,so that he can arrange the
release
of the funds ($10,500,000.00) to you. My lawyer's name is Walter Ashdown.
I know I have never met you but my mind tells me to do this,and i hope
you act sincerely.

NB: I will appreciate your ultmost confidentiality in this matter
until the task is accomplished,as I don't want anything that will
Jeopardize my last wish, due to the fact that i do not want relatives or
family members
standing in the way of my last wish.

Thank you and God bless you,

Maria Johnson.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam