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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:
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "can i trust you?" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• 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.
  • sgtirvin.shawn221@googlemail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Sgt.Irvin Shawn" <sgtirvin.shawn@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: sgtirvin.shawn221@googlemail.com
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 09:30:48 -0700
Subject: Can I trust you?


From: Sgt.Irvin Shawn
Sgt: Third (3rd) infantry Division US Military
Iraq
Direct

Dear Sir,

My name is Sgt.Irvin Shawn I am an American soldier, serving in the military
with the Third (3rd) infantry Division in Iraq. I and my superior after
going on a rampage on Saddam Hussein palace in Baghdad discovered a
substantial amount of money. You may need to check out the following BBC
website to confirm more of our discovery which was made know to the
government, but this particular one is a top secret:

*http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm*

This fund in question was moved to a secure place with the assistance of our
contact person in UK (A private attorney of our UK military colleague); the
total is $25,000,000.00 (Twenty Five million US dollars). Basically since we
are working for the government we cannot keep these funds in our bank
account. It is on this juncture that wed ecided to seek your assistance to
keep this money for us in your account or an offshore account controlled by
you.

There is no risk involved whatsoever. If you are interested I will send you
the full details, my job is to find a good partner that we can trust and
that will assist us. Can I trust you? To ensure confidentiality, when you
receive this letter, kindly reply me via e-mail signifying your interest
including your confidential telephone/fax numbers for quick communication
and also your contact details for identification

Respectfully submitted

Sgt.Irvin Shawn

NB: Forward your response to my direct email address *
sgtirvin.shawn221@googlemail.com<http://us.mc509.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=sgtirvin.shawn221@googlemail.com>
*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam