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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin 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.
  • vassiliostheocha@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Vassilios Theocharakis" <vassiliostheo34@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <vassiliostheocha@aim.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 07:11:44 -0500
Subject: Re:For Your Kind Attention.



Dear Friend, I am Vassilios Theocharakis, a director with a Laiki bank in CYPRUS, I have a Business Proposal for you. Our late client named Mr. A. Fayez made a fixed deposit amount of US$17.3m, he did not declare any next of kin in his paper work, I want you as a foreigner to stand as the beneficiary to the fund out of my bank into your account What I require is your willingness and commitment towards this mutual venture. if you consent to working with me on this kindly provide me the informations below; to my private email(vassiliostheocha@aim.com) (1) Full Names (2) Current Residential Address (3)Telephone number Upon receiving your response I would provide you with more details on how we are to proceed.Sincerely,Vassilios Theocharakis

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam