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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:
  • ",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)
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "CHRIS TONY" <christony4@ig.com.br>
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 02:26:46 +0200
Subject: Contact My Secretary


It is me,Chris Tony,

THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE SWISS BANK IN ZURICH.
I am very much happy to have completed that business and have
received my total sum of US$20,000,000.00.

Because of all you have done for me in the past,i want you to enjoy this
money with me.
Now, I want you to contact my secretary in Republique du Benin,
his name is MR. Dan Brown His E-mail is = danbrown1@live.fr
ask him to send you the total sum of $1,000,000.00
which i kept for your compensation for all the past efforts and
attempts to assist me in this matter.

Send him the following information so that he will be sure that you
are the owner of the cheque:

Your Full Name:
Your address:
Your country:
Your occupation:
Your age:
Your Phone number:

I have forwarded instruction to my Secretary and he will be waiting
for your mail with information on this.

Please do not bother to contact me because i will be out of reach for
about a year.

I thank you for everything and God bless you.

Regards,
PD DR Chris Tony,

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam