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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "huge deposit" (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 "dying merchant" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "David Weir" <daveweir2003@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 11:34:58 +0000
Subject: From David Weir

Greetings.

As you read this, don't feel sorry for me, because it is the destiny of
everyman to die someday. I am Mr. David Weir a business merchant in the
United Kingdom.
I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. It has defiled all forms of
treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according
to medical experts.
I regret that I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never
really cared for anyone (not even myself), but my trade. Though I am
fortunate to be very well to do, I was never open handed;
I was always hostile to people and regarded them like they never had hopes
of becoming as successful as myself. Now I know that there is a lot more to
life than just prosperity.

I believe that when I am given a second chance to come to this world, I
would live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Now that death
is eminent, I have willed and given most of my belonging
to immediate and extended family members, as well as a few close friends. I
want god to be merciful to me and accept my soul. Hence I have decided to
support charity work; this is what i want to be remembered for.
So far, I have been able to reach out to charity organizations here in the
U.K and a few in U.A.E, Algeria and Malaysia. Now that my health has
deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore.

I once asked members of my family to aid me in giving of alms to those
organizations catering for the less privileged in Bulgaria and Pakistan; but
they refused and kept the resources to themselves.
I have come to a point where i have decided to not trust them anymore, as
they seem not to be contented with what I have left for them. The last of my
belonging which no one knows of, is the huge deposit of eigteen milion US
dollars that
I have in a safe keeping company, which I will want you to secure and
bestow to charity organizations.

Please endeavour to reply me on my confidential email address of
daveweir2003@aol.com for intimacy to this effect and further details. For
your time and devotion, I have set aside a tenth of this for you.

Best regards,
David Weir.
daveweir2003@aol.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam