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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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• 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:

• 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)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • e-mail.echidimecollins@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR ECHIDIME COLLINS" <echidimecollins@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:13:56 +0100
Subject: MR ECHIDIME COLLINS

MY DEAR FRIEND,
I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU
DO NOT KNOW ME .I AM MR ECHIDIME COLLINS, I WORK IN THE
EQUITY FINANCE BANK OF SENEGAL (EFBS), PACKAGING AND COURIER
DEPARTMENT.
I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR A HONEST PERSON
THROUGH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE EQUITY FINANCE BANK
WHO SAID THAT I CAN CONFIDE IN YOU .I WANT YOU TO HELP
ME CLEAR THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY IN A CARRIER COMPANY HERE IN DAKAR SENEGAL BUT THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS $6,500,000.00 ALL IN $100.00 BILLS, BUT THE COURIER COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS MONEY THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE.
NOTE BELOW.
THIS ARE THE NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS I NEED FROM YOU.
NAME..........................................................
OCCUPATION AND YOUR POSITION..................................
AGE:..........................................................
STATUS:.......................................................
STATE/COUNTRY.................................................
TELE/FAX NUMBER...............................................
AND I HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY , YOU WILL HAVE 30% AND 70% WILL BE FOR ME. OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME .IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL AND FEEL THAT YOU WILL ASSIST ME IN THIS MATTER, GET BACK TO ME SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS ON HOW TO GET THE CONSIGNMENT OF MONEY DELIEVER TO YOUR ADDRESS AND YOUR SINCERITY TOWARDS THIS MATTER.
YOU CAN REACH ME THROUGH MY PRAVENT E-MAIL.echidimecollins@yahoo.co.uk <mailto:E-MAIL.echidimecollins@yahoo.co.uk>
FOR MORE DETAILS.
WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
MR ECHIDIME COLLINS

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam