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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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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",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)
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a "dying merchant" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: franciskana1@internet.lu
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:57:20 +0200
Subject: I NEED YOUR URGENT RESPONSE PLEASE

Dear Friend,

I know that this is a surprising message to you as we have not meet each other before, I hope and pray to GOD that I have the right person. My name is Francis Udomba, a merchant in Gabonese Republic.I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer .It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, I have spent all my money through my brothers claiming that they want to help my critical IL-health condition while using my money for themselves.They have even bribed my doctor to tell me that I have only about a few months to live. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for and i did all this because of my inability to bear a child that is why my brothers want me dead so that they take all my wealth.

Because of my being impotent i adopted a female child as i cannot born and i cannot live alone.I do not trust my brothers anymore to die here and live the adopted girl in their mix, as they seem not to be happy with me and her they have sworded not to allow her live so that they can easily inbound all my belongings immediately i die. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly and i cannot do things myself anymore i will like you to do me a favor and i don't want any of brothers to know about this development. I strongly believe that our God almighty can still change my IL-health condition. I want you to help reply back immediately so that me and the poor girl that i adopted in a motherless home can fly to meet you in your country before anything happens to me here.I have money which no one knows about and is amounting at Four million us-dollars $4,000,000, in a dollars account that I have in a foreign bank. I believe that with this funds you can help this my sickness by a
rranging a specialist for adequ

I need your urgent response so that i can give you an authority letter to submit to the bank to release the funds to you so that you can start immediately to direct us to meet you in your country.Thanks i await your urgent response.God be with you.

Francis Udomba

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam