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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
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• 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:
  • "million us dollars" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "williams" <whooper@vtxfree.ch>
Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 15:41:30 +0100
Subject: YOUR COOPERATION REQUIRED.

FUND TRANSFER
FROM: WILLIAM R. HOOPER

Good Day,

I hope my email meets you well. I am in need of your assistance. My name
is WLLIAM R. HOOPER. I am in the Engineering military unit here in Ba'qubah
in Iraq; we have about $9.5 Million US Dollars that we want to move out
of the country. My partners and I need a good partner abroad, someone we
can trust. It is oil money and legal.

We want to move it through diplomatic means, to send it to your house directly
or a bank of your choice using diplomatic service. The most important thing
is that we need a trust worthy partner.

Once the funds get to you, you shall be entitled to 40% as your share for
assisting in facilitating to secure the funds. All you are expected to do
is to find a safe place where the funds can be sent kept. We have taken
the necessary precautions to ensure that your personality and reputation
is well protected from any authority what ever. Secondly, this deal requires
absolute confidentiality.

If you are interested, I will furnish you with more details. But the whole
process is simple and we must keep a low profile at all times.

I look forward to your reply and co-operation, and I thank you in advance
as I anticipate your co-operation. You can reach me via email.

Waiting to hear from you.

Regards,

WILLIAM R. HOOPER

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam