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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!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: frankduku@webmail.co.za
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 05:47:55 +0200 (SAST)
Subject: ****** SPAM ****** GET INTOUCH WITH ME


Spam detection software, running on the system "easytravels.nl", has
identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message
has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or label
similar future email. If you have any questions, see
the administrator of that system for details.

Content preview: ATTN: Dear Friend, I am Dr. Frank Duku. With the message received
from the Presidency, I do sympathize with you for the long delay in your
payment. It was as a result of your experience and several reports and petitions
from foreign contractors like your humble self that made the government introduce
this cash delivery via Diplomatic Courier Unit in Accra Ghana , West African
sub region. I was mandated to handle the office and deliver to contractors
their consignment to their doorstep. The system of our operations is as follows:
- [...]

Content analysis details: (6.1 points, 1.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
2.1 SUBJ_ALL_CAPS Subject is all capitals
1.3 MISSING_HEADERS Missing To: header
0.0 BAYES_50 BODY: Bayesian spam probability is 40 to 60%
[score: 0.5125]
1.2 ADVANCE_FEE_2 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)
1.4 ADVANCE_FEE_3 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)
0.1 RDNS_NONE Delivered to trusted network by a host with no rDNS

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam