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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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• 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:

• 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:
  • "liberia" (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.
  • frances1_otis@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Frances Otis" <jf_otis@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: frances1_otis@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 21:49:00 +0100
Subject: Hello, please get back to me

Hello,
I hope you are doing fine today. I am writing to seek for your attention and coperation in a business venture which will benefit both of us in a very big way without much expense. What I want to inquire is your willingness to handle this business transaction worth about $11 million U.S.D. I am from Liberia west Africa, and want to execute this deal with someone outside Africa who can help me migrate to his/her country. I will give you full details on the receipt of your reply/acknowledgement.
Please contact me on frances1_otis@yahoo.com if you are willing to do business with me and I will let you know the procedure. This is not like any other offer. When we finalize this deal, I promise you that you will be glad you received this mail today.
Thank you for taking your time to read this.
Yours Sincerely,
F. Otis

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam