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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:
  • "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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 next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Arnold Sankara" <arnoldsankara@latinmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:20:47 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: GET BACK TO ME..


MY DEAR,

THIS MAIL MIGHT COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE AND THE TEMPTATION TO IGNORE IT AS UNSERIOUS COULD COME INTO YOUR MIND BUT PLEASE CONSIDER IT A DIVINE WISH AND ACCEPT IT WITH A DEEP SENSE OF HUMILITY.I AM MR.ARNOLD SANKARA, THE MANAGER INCHARGE OF TELEX/COMPUTING DEPARTMENT OF BANK OF AFRICA ANNEX OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO IN WEST AFRICA, WITH DUE RESPECT AND REGARDS, I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US AT THE END OF THE TRANSACTION.

DURING OUR INVESTIGATION AND AUDITING IN THIS BANK, MY DEPARTMENT CAME ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO OUR DECEASED CUSTOMER MR.RAYMOND BECK WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH ALONG WITH HIS WIFE IN EGYPT AIR FLIGHT EK990, FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CRASH AND THE PERSON PLEASE VIEW THIS WEB:(HTTP://NEWS.BBC.CO.UK/1/HI/WORLD/AMERICAS/502503.STM)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam