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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:

• 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)
  • "trunk box" (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 orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "WILLIAMS" <williams0johnson@myway.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: williams0johnson@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2008 20:43:24 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY

DEAR RESPECTFUL ONE

I KNOW THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE THIS IS MY INTRODUCTORY MESSAGE. MY NAME
IS WILLIAMS THE SON OF THE LATE MR AND JOHNSON MANE .MY LATE FATHER WAS GOLD AND COCOA DEALER BASED IN ACCRA-GHANA AND SENEGAL, HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR BUSINESS TRIPS.

BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN SENEGAL, HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS THE SUM OF (US$8.500.000.00) SEALED IN A TRUNK BOX AND DEPOSITED IN ONE OF THE PRIME SECURITY CUSTODY IN DAKAR SENEGAL, THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS SON FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSITING THE BOX.
HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS
ASSOCIATES. HE WARNED ME THAT ON NO ACCOUNT I SHOULD REVEAL THE CONTENT OF THE BOX TO THIS
CUSTODY BECAUSE HE DID NOT DEPOSITED IT AS
MONEY RATHER AS HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT.
HE ADVISED ME TO SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHO WILL HELP ME RETREIVE
THIS BOX FROM THIS SECURITY HOUSE AND FOR ONWARD INVESTMENT.

I AM HUMBLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
1)I WANT YOU TO INDICATE YOUR FULL INTEREST IN ASSISTING ME SO THAT I WILL ADVISE ON YOU THE NEXT THING TO DO.
2)TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND SINCE I AM 25 YEARS OLD .
3)TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY, TO SECURE RESIDENTIAL PERMIT FOR ME AND INITIATE THE TYPES OF VIABLE VENTURES TO INVEST.

I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 15% OF THE TOTAL MONEY AS YOUR SHARE FOR ASSISTING ME AND ANOTHER 5%
FOR ANY EXPENSES THAT OCCURE DURING THIS PPROJECT.

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT E-MAIL MESSAGE

AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVED THIS PROPOSAL

YOURS SINCERELY,
WILLIAMS JOHNSON

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam