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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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.

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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)
  • "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a "dying widow" 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.
  • mrs.aminakarim@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Amina Abdulkarim" <aminabdulkarim105@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: mrs.aminakarim@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:13:37 +0100
Subject: WARM GREETINGS FROM LADY AMINA


Dear Friend,

My greetings to you and your lovely family! This mail might come to you as a
surprise and the temptation to ignore it as unserious could come into your
mind; but please consider it a divine wish and accept it with a deep sense
of humility .My name is Amina Abdulkarim from Libya. i was married to late
Osman Abdulkarim of blessed memory who is an oil explorer in Libya and
Kuwait for twelve years before he died in the year 2000. we were married for
twelve years without a child. he died after a brief illness that lasted for
only four days. since his death i too have been battling with both cancer
and fibroid problems.

When my late husband was alive he deposited a substantial amount of money in
millions of dollars with a deposit company oversea. recently, my doctor told
me that i have only six months to live due to cancer problem. though what
disturbs me most is my stroke sickness. having known my condition i decided
to donate this fund to either a charity orphanage home or devoted god
fearing individual that will utilize this money the way i am going to
instruct herein. i want this organization or individual to use this money in
all sincerity to fund charity homes (motherless homes), orphanages, and
widows.

I took this decision because i don't have any child that will inherit this
money and my husband relatives are into radical organization and i don't
want a situation where this money will be used in an unholy manner. hence
the reasons for this bold decision. please, pray for me to recover as your
prayers will go a long way in uplifting my spirit. i don't need any
telephone communication in this regard because of my health, because of the
presence of my husband's relatives around me always. i don't want them to
know about this development.as soon as i receive your reply on email, shall
give you further directives on what to do and how to go about actualizing
this project.

I will also issue a letter of authority to the deposit company authorizing
them that the said fund have being willed to you and a copy of such
authorization will be forwarded to you. i want you to always pray for me.
any delay in your reply will give room in sourcing for an organization or a
devoted individual for this same purpose.

Until i hear from you by my private email(mrs.aminakarim@hotmail.com) my
dreams will rest squarely on your shoulders.

Remain blessed.
MRS. AMINA ABDULKARIM

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam