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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:
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "MR MICHEAL DELTA." <michealdelta1@yahoo.fr> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 11:25:32 +0000
Subject: From Micheal and Sussan

DEAR BELOVED,
I, DO HOPE YOU RECEIVED MY PREVIOUS LETTER WHICH I SENT TO YOU THROUGH A REGISTERED EXPRESS POST LATE LAST MONTH? I HAVE DECIDED TO RECONTACT YOU ONCE AGAIN THROUGH THIS EMAIL SINCE I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU DUE TO THE URGENCY THAT IS INVOLVED IN OTHER TO HAVE ME AND MY YOUNGER SISTER RESCURE FROM OUR PRESENT PLACE OF OUR HIDEOUT.
I, AM VERY SORRY THAT I CAN NOT EXPRESS MY REASONS REGARDING MY CONTACTING YOU AS AT MOMENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM IN A HIDE OUT WITH MY ONLY SISTER NAMED (SUSSAN), AS WE HAVE JUST LOST OUR PARENTS IN A GHASTLY MOTOR ACCIDENT THAT TOOK THEIR LIVES TWO WEEKS AGO ON THEIR WAY TO THE OPENING CEREMONY OF OUR NEWLY COMPLETED FRUIT JUICE PROCESSING COMPANY, AND RIGHT NOW AS I WRITE YOU THIS EMAIL MY FAMILY MEMBERS ARE ALL HUNTING FOR ME AS THE ELDEST SON OF MY LATE PARENT TO HAVE THE CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT OF A VERY LARGE SUM OF MONEY(4.5$ MILLION U S D) FOUR MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND U S D THAT MY LATE FATHER DEPOSITED WITH A FINANCE HOUSE IN ABROAD ON ONE OF HIS RECENT VISIT TO EUROPE EARLY LAST YEAR.
PLEASE, DO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME IMMEDIATELY SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS TO THIS REGARD, AS I AM ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR YOUR RESPONSE SO THAT I CAN SEND YOU THE CONTACT OF THE FINANCE HOUSE IN EUROPE FOR YOU TO HELP US LAY CLAIMS.
BELOVED, I AM PRESENTLY IN A HIDE IN A STATE ASIDE MY STATE OF ORIGIN CALL ABIDJAN WITH MY ONLY SISTER WITH ALL THE DOCUMENTS. I AM PLANING NOW TO QUICKLY GET LAWYER TO HELP ME DRAFT A LETTER OF AUTHOURITY/POWER OF ATTORNEY IN YOUR FAVOUR IN OTHER TO ENABLE YOU ACT QUICKLY ON OUR BEHALF IN EUROPE, MEAN WHILE I WILL SEND TO YOU ALL THE AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS AREADY IN MY POSITION AS SOON AS I HEAR FROM YOU FOR THE FUND TO BE RELEASED TO YOUR CUSTODY ON MY BEHALF SO THAT YOU CAN START MAKING PREPARATION TO GO OVER TO EUROPE TO MEET WITH THE FINACE AND SECURITY COMPANY FOR COLLECTION, AND I WOULD WANT YOU TO PLEASE MAKE PROVISION FOR ME AND MY SISTER TO COME OVER TO MEET WITH YOU OVERTHERE AFTER YOU MUST HAVE COLLECTED THE MONEY FROM THE FINACE HOUSE IN EUROPE.
BELOVED I WAIT FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONSE FOR US TO BE FREE FROM THE HANDS OF THE WICKED FAMILY OURS.
GOD BLESS,
MR MICHEAL DELTA.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam