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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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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.

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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:
  • "million united states 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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
  • jacquah09@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: JAMES ACQUAH <james-a01@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <jacquah09@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:20:40 +0000
Subject: REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE.



MR.JAMES ACQUAH (JP)CHAIRMAN,ECOWAS RESOURCE BUREAU (ERB)CONTRACT DEBT PAYMENT DIVISIONECO FUND OFFICE ECOWAS TOWERDJORWURU ACCRA - REPUBLIC OF GHANAWEST-AFRICA. GOOD DAY, TRANSFER OF $45 MILLION USDMY NAME IS MR.JAMES ACQUAH,CHAIRMAN ECOWAS CONTRACTOR'S DEBT PAYMENT PANEL.I AM CONTACTING YOU TO INQUIRE IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME SAFEGUARD FUNDS AMOUNTING TO FORTY FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS($45M USD) LEFT BY ONE OF OUR LATE FOREIGN CONTRACTOR WHOSE RELATIVES COULD NOT BE TRACED AS HE DIED ALONG WITH HIS FAMILY MEMBERS.YOU WILL BE PRESENTED AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED TO ENABLE OUR ORGANIZATION TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE LEGITIMATE NEXT OF KIN.AT THE END OF THE TRANSACTION,YOU WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM.THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE AS THE PROCESS SHALL BE LEGALLY FOLLOWED TO AVOID ANY BREACH OF LAW BUT THIS SHALL BE KEPT SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL DUE TO MY SENSITIVE POSITION IN ECOWAS.I WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE TRANSACTION WHEN I RECEIVE YOUR AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE AT MY SECURED EMAIL ADDRESS :(jacquah09@yahoo.co.uk) or call +233 24 6141879.LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SOONEST.YOURS FAITHFULLY.MR.JAMES ACQUAH(JP)
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam