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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:

• 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:
  • "million 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)
• 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.
  • mothercarolina@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mother carolina" <motherca67@ldsliving.com>
Reply-To: mothercarolina@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 03:06:35 -0700
Subject: GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF GOD!!!


*Greetings in the name of God, *
*** *
*I am Mother Carolina Starr from Spain am 58 years old, wife to late Torres
Starr, i am deaf and suffering from a longtime cancer of the breast which
also affected my brain, from all indication my conditions is really
deteriorating and it is quite obvious that, according to my doctors they
have advised me that i may not live for the next two months,this is because
the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage.
*
*I was brought up from a motherless babies home was married to my late
husband for twenty years without a child,died in a fatal motor accident
Before his death we were true Christians.Since his death I decided not to
re-marry,I sold all my inherited belongings and deposited all the sum of
$11.6million dollars with a Security Company.Presently,this money is still
with them and the management just wrote me as the true owner to come forward
to receive the money for keeping itso long or rather issue a letter of
uthorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf since I can not come
over because of my illness theywill get it confiscated.
*
*I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I amhaving my treatment for cancer
of the breast.I have since lost myability to talk and my doctors have told
me that I have only a fewmonths tolive.It is my last wish to see that this
money is invested to any organization of your choice and distributed each
year among the charity organization, the poor and the motherless babies home
where i come from.I want you to be God fearing, to also use this money to
fund orphanages and widows,I took this decision,before i rest in peace
because mytime will soon be up.
*
*As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the
Security Company.I will also issue you a letter of authority that willprove
you as the new beneficiary of my fund.Please do contant me via :(**
mothercarolina@gmail.com* <mothercarolina@gmail.com>*)*

*Waiting for your reply,
*
*Yours in Trust,
Mother Carolina Starr.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam