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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:
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • maryharry@inbox.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS MARY HARRY" <mrsmaryharry0037@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: maryharry@inbox.com
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2006 09:12:11 +0000
Subject: FROM MRS MARY HARRY

Dear,

Compliments of the day. I hope that this letter does not come to you as a
surprise because we have not met. However, I urge you to treat the
information which it contains with due and utmost attention. Apart from
being eternally grateful to you, I also assure you that you shall be
adequately compensated.

My name is Mrs. Mary Harry. I am the wife of Late Mr. Vincent Harry who
served as the chief security officer to president Kabah of Sierra Leone.
Unfortunately, my husband was killed during the over throw of 24th December
2001.

I came to know of you during my search for a reliable person to handle a
Very confidential business transaction, which involves the transfer of a
huge sum of $10,000,000. (Million US dollars) which was Deposited in a
finance house here in Malaysia. My husband deposited the fund for safe
Keeping during the time the military was trying to overthrow President
Tijan Kabah. My husband was killed along with president kabah in that coup
d tact, and I am the only person who has all the legal documents to claim
this money as the next of kin.

My husband gave me all the legal documents covering this fund
days before his death. I was waiting for things to came down before making
any move, but the recent crisis in my country has forced me to make the move
now. For now, my son and I are in asylum here in Malaysia. Right now, the
money is in a safe place. I am using this opportunity to seek for your
assistance to transfer this money into your account which will be invested
in your country. All you need to do is to forward to me an account
information where this money will be sent to, so that I can instruct my late
husbands attorney to make a formal application of clime and transfer to
the finance firm here in Malaysia, then when the money is finally
transferred I will send my son (MICHAEL) to come over to your country for
proper negotiation and investment investment.

We don't have any business to cover-up, that is why we need your
Assistance. If you agree to this proposal, we shall discuss on the
percentage and I will also forward to you all the legal documents covering
this fund for your confirmation. I await your quick response.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Mary Harry.
you can reach me at my more private Email maryharry@inbox.com

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam