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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:
  • "million us 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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• 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.
  • drkendavid1q3@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: MR JOHNSON <elizabeth@emsergipe.com>
Reply-To: johnson_adams01k@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:17:03 -0300
Subject: mr johnson

My DearMy name is Mr Johnson Adams. I am an American soldier, serving in the mil=itary with the Third (3rd) infantry Division in Iraq . I and my superior =after going on a rampage on Saddam Hussein's palace in Baghdad we discove=red a large container where various denominations of currency worth milli=ons are hidden.=20You can enter the below website to confirm more of our discovery which wa=s made known to the government, but this particular one is a top secret: =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stmHaving discovered the container in question, I alerted my superior office=r who smartly told me to cart away a substantial amount. The fund in ques=tion was moved to a secure place with the assistance of our contact perso=n in United Kingdom .=20=20Family Doctor of our British military colleague); the total is $25,000,00=0.00 (Twenty-five million US dollars). Basically since we are still in ac=tive service, we cannot keep this fund in our bank accounts. It is on thi=s juncture that I was mandated by my superior to look for a reliable and =trustworthy person who could assist us to receive the fund on our behalf =for investment purposes. Hence, my contacting you.=20There is no risk involved whatsoever. If you are interested, I will send =you more instructions on how to get the money. My duty is to find a goo=d partner that we can trust and that will assist us secure the fund. Can =I trust you? To ensure confidentiality, when you receive this letter, kin=dly reply our Family Doctor in london Dr David Ken with the information =Email: drkendavid1q3@yahoo.com Please Remember To Submitt Your Full Name/=Address/Age/Occupation/Phone Number To Him=20ThanksMr Johnson Adams=20In God We Trust

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam