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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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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:

• 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 beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "god-fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
• 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.
  • maryparker22@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MARY PARKER <maryparkerr22@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 04:35:47 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Dear Beloved, PLEASE HELP ME


Dear Beloved,

It is by the grace of God that I received Christ, I am Mrs. Mary Parker,the wife of Mr. Robert Parker,both of us, are citizens of the United States of America. my husband worked with the Chevron/Texaco in Russia for twenty years before he died in the year 2003. We were married for ten years without a child. My Husband died after a brief illness. Before his death we both got born-again as dedicated Christians. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of 7.5 Million Pounds (Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds) with a Bank in Europe.

This money is still with the Bank and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary that our account has been DORMANT and if I, as the beneficiary of the funds, do not re-activate the account; the funds will be CONFISCATED or I rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf (note that you need to activate this account). Presently, I'm in an hospital in Russia undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few weeks to live. My relatives and friends have plundered so much of my wealth since my illness. Please, I beg you in the name of God to help me Stand-in as the beneficiary and collect the Funds from the Bank. I want a person that is God-fearing who will use this money to fund churches,orphanages and widows propagating the word of God. Hence the reason for taking this bold decision, I know that I am going to be with the Lord. Please my beloved for further
communication, reach me on my private email address: maryparker22@yahoo.com.hk

Remain Blessed
Your Sister in Christ,
Mrs. Mary Parker


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam