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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned 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: "agnes watkins" <agneswatkins@gala.net>
Reply-To: mrsagneswatkin@hotmail.fr
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 11:49:39 +0000
Subject: From: Mrs Agnes Watkins


From: Mrs Agnes Watkins
Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire, West Africa

Dearest One,

Greetings to you and family. I am Mrs Agnes Samuel Watkins from Liberia
request for your assistance, I apologise for any inconveniences this mail
might cause you.

I am writing you from Republic of Cote D'Ivoire where we have been taking
refuge after the brutal murder of my husband by the rebels during the
renewed fighting in our country Liberia.

Because of the war in my country, my husband sold our telecommunication
company and took us to this country Cote d'Ivoire where he deposited
US$12,000,000.00 Million (Twelve Million United States Dollars) in his
foreign account with one of the bank here in Cote D'Ivoire.

Note, I have prayed before contacting you with the trust that you will be of
help to me and my two Sons. My problem now is I am seriously sick with
cancer of blood and coupled with instability political situation in this
country. I am seeking for your assistance to transfer the said fund to your
account as my late husband/ family partner for a good investment project in
your country and also we relocating to your country for a new life and a
better treatment to my health.

I am willing to offer you 20% of the total sum for your assistance in
seeing this transfer through to your account. Please for your good
information this transaction is 100% risk free and in no way connected with
any illegal transaction. Please help us to get out of this terrible
situation and save the future of my Sons in your country.

Please, kindly respond immediately you get this mail for more discussion so
that I can give you the contact of the bank where the total money is and
tell you what to do in completing the transfer soonest.

Best Regards,
Mrs Agnes Samuel Watkins

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam