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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.

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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:
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "million 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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "FROM DR.MARK A .ZUBY" <mark7_zuby@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mark77_zuby@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2007 10:52:04 +0100
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. FROM DR.MARK A.ZUBY


Hello My Dear=2C
can you be trusted=3F
My Name is Dr=2EMark A=2EZuby=2C from west Ukraine=2C i work with one of the bank here U=2EA=2EE I am writing you from my office that will be of an imense benefit to both of us=2E In my department=2C being the assistant manager =28Greater Abu Dhabi Regional Office=29=2C I discovered an abandoned sum of $56=2E5 million USA Dollars =28fifty six million five hundred thousand Usa Dollars=29 in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Late Mr=2EThompson Morrison American citizen who unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000=2C including his wife and only daughter=2E The choice of contacting you is aroused from the geograpgical nature of where you live=2Cparticularly due to the sensivity of the transaction=2Eand the confidentiality herein=2E Now our bank has been waiting for any of the relatives to come-up for the claim but nobody has done that=2EI personally has been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for 2 years now=2C I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin =2FWill Beneficiary to the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at 56=2E5 Million Dollars can be paid to you=2E
This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages=2C60% to me and 40% to you=2E I have secured all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up this claim we are making=2E All i need is to fill in your names to the ducuments and legalise it in the court here to prove you as the legitimate beneficiary=2E All I require now is your honest Co-operation=2C Confidentiality and Trust to enable us see this transaction through=2E I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law=2E Please=2C provide me the following=3A as we have 5 days to run it through=2E this is very very URGENT PLEASE=2E
1=2E Full Name
2=2E Your Telephone Number
3=2E Your Contact Address=2E
Your urgent response will be highly anticipated and
appreciated=2E Please reply me with my private email
adress=3A =28 mark77=5Fzuby=40hotmail=2Ecom =29

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam