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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:
  • "dear beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million pounds" (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)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Mary Parker" <parkeronlinedept@beehive.org>
Reply-To: maryp_arker@live.com
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:36:37 +0100
Subject: Dear Beloved


*Dear Beloved,*

*I am Mrs. Mary Parker,the wife of Mr.Robert Parker,both of us, are citizens
of the United States of America. my husband worked with the Chevron/Texaco
in Russia for twenty years before he died in the year 2003.We were married
for ten years without a child. My Husband died after a brief illness. Before
his death we both got born-again as dedicated Christians. When my late
husband was alive he deposited the sum of 7.5 Million Pounds (Seven Million
Five Hundred Thousand Pounds) with a Bank in London. Presently, I'm in an
hospital in Russia undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. I have since
lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few
weeks to live. Please, I beg you in the name of God to help me Stand-in as
the beneficiary and collect the Funds from the Bank. Please my beloved for
further communication, reach me on my private email
address:maryp_arker@live.com <address%3Amaryp_arker@live.com>*

*Your Sister in Christ,
Mrs. Mary Parker *

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam