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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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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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • ethlynrichards@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Ethlyn richards <ethlynrichards60@aim.com>
Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 14:28:58 +0100
Subject: Urgent message from Mrs ethlyn richards


Dear Sir/Madam,
You may be surprised to receive this unsolicited mail as it may appear to be. Sorry to bother you any way.
Glory be to God, My names are Mrs. Ethlyn Richards from America married to Rev. Gordon H. Richards who works with America embassy in England.
We were both married for years without children.
I do not intend to waste much of your time, my husband left some money for me which is in private deposit box in a security company in Ivory coast Abidjan which i intend to give out for charity purpose,to a God fearing individual or firm
that will received and use the money to help ORPHANGES,WIDOWS, I am looking for someone that I can trust to handle this funds.
Because of my present condition of my health problem that is while i took this decision to give the money out since i do not have a child and due to my

husbands belief in giving to the less priviledged and before my husband died we both decided to give the money out for charity works that was our wish. Presently am in my husband personal property in abidjan ivory coast responding to treatment. And i want to carry out my husbands wish so that he will be happy with me where ever he may be. The truth of the matter is i know that based on what is going on all over the internet, people find it very difficult to assist one another and also find it difficult to believe issues like this but i assure you that as soon as you can garantee me of your trust and honestly i will be able to work with you.As soon as you get intouch with me i will tell you all the modalities that is invovled in this project.
My late husband was blessed with some contracts as a favorite in the british embassy and subsequently invested his profits diligently in equities and debentures to avert queries and rumours of bribery; which obviously was not the case anyway but he was a smart man that always believed in playing straight and safe. He had great plans for both of us but unfortunately those plans are now mere imaginations as life is nothing enjoyable without Dullivan.
Contact me on private email address below.
Email:ethlynrichards@hotmail.com
May God bless you.
Mrs. Ethlyn Richards

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam