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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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• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
  • "transfer of your funds" (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.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Carl Allison Allison" <freelottopayoffice@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 19:00:35 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: DEAR WINNER


DEAR WINNER,

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR MAIL. WE HAVE BEEN MAKING NECESSARY VERIFICATION CONCERNING YOUR PRIZE AWARD. WE ARE HAPPY TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR AWARD HAVE FINALLY BEEN CONFIRM FOR PAYMENT. YOU ARE HEREBY REQUIRED TO PAY THE SUM OF 595 POUNDS OR THE EQUIVALENT IN US DOLLARS OR YOUR LOCAL CURRENCY TO ENABLE US PROCESS AND EFFECT THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF YOUR FUNDS.

REFER THE PAYMENT VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER TO THE ADDRESS BELOW:

NAME: MICHAEL GRAM
ADDRESS: LONDON UK.
595.00 GBP = 1,155.36 USD United Kingdom Pounds

United States Dollars
1 GBP = 1.94179 USD

1 USD = 0.514990 GBP


SEND RECEIPT/INFORMATION OF PAYMENT TO THIS MAIL AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS MADE TO ENABLE US COMMENCE THE PROCESSING AND PAYMENT OF YOUR FUNDS. YOUR FUNDS WILL BE TRANSFER TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT WITHIN 48 HOURS OF CONFIRMATION OF YOUR PAYMENT. WE HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.



MR CARL ALLISON



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam