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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: greenalbert001@comcast.net
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2008 07:39:19 +0000
Subject: YOU CAN WORK WITH ME.

DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS BARRISTER ALBERT GREEN AN ATTORNEY AT LAW.I AM WRITING TO NOTIFY YOU OF THE UNCLAIMED INHERITANCE DEPOSIT OF SIXTEEN MILLION,FIVE HUNDERD THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($16,500,000.00) OF OUR LATE CLIENT, MR.MORRIS THOMPSON WHO PASSED ON TO THE GREAT BEYOND ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2004 IN THE SIBERIA AIRLINES TU-154 CRASH.I GOT YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS
THROUGH A WEB SEARCH ENGINE INMY QUEST TO GET A RELIABLE INDIVIDUAL WHO SHALL WORK WITH ME IN CLAIMING THIS INHERITANCE DEPOSIT SINCE ALL EFFORTS TO GET THE BIOLOGICAL RELATIVE HAS PROVED ABORTIVE.PLEASE REVERT BACK TO ME URGENTLY WITH
YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THEPROCEDURE AND LEGALITY OF THIS CLAIM. REGARDS, ALBERT GREEN.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam