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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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• 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:
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found 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.
  • m_mercysteve@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Marvellous / Mercy. Steve." <mmercys23@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <m_mercysteve@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2007 19:16:34 +0200
Subject: From Marvelous & Mercy.



Dear, Greetings to you and your entire family, I know that this letter may come to you as a surprise,I want to use this opportunity to introduce myself well to you, My name is MARVELOUS STEVE and my younger sister MERCY,we are the only children to the family of late, LT.PATRICK STEVE, We call you in respect of our package box which our late father deposited in a private security company here we want you to assist us and stand as our late fater foreign partner beneficiary to receive our money over there in your country, this money we are talking is $4.5million U.S.Dollars which our late father deposited under SIERRA-LEONE HIGH COMMISSION for me and my sister, Now Mr.JOHNSON ELLIOT who was been in help to us was dead last month, we are demanding for your help to receive this package box after claiming it out from the security company, So that me and my sister will arreng to come over your country for investment and continue our education immediately. We will give you 20% for the total money involve for your assistance,please if you are willing to help us, kindly reply me through our private email m_mercysteve@yahoo.fr for more details. Our Call phone number is 0022508913481.Thanks and God Bless.Yours SincerelyMarvelous & Mercy.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam