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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Victor Addo <victor.addo@yahoo.co.in>
Reply-To: victor_addo@rock.com
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:12:36 +0530 (IST)
Subject: CAN YOU HELP ME OUT


Dear Friend,

I
am Victor Addo from Sierra Leone but now living in a refuge camp in
Ghana with my younger sister because our parents was killed in the 12
yrs civil war in my country but I'm happy to have gotten somebody like
you because you will be capable to champion a transaction of this
magnitude.

My
father was a gold and diamond dealer deposited $4.2 million usd in a
security company here in Ghana before his death and I'm looking for a
reliable person who can help me claim this consignment from the
Security Vault after which it will be delivered to the bank for onward
transfer to your account in your country and i will come over to meet
you over there so that we can invest the fund in a good and profitable
business.

I
will compensate you very fine with 15% of the total amount for your
assistance and i assure you that all will work out fine without any
hitches and it will not take much of your time to be executed. Please
sir i will like you to keep everything about this transaction very top
secret because this money is my life and future.

I'm
giving you one assurance from the bottom of my heart that this
transaction is 100% risk free and you will not regret assisting me at
the end because i have come to you with good intentions so i will need
your utmost support and honesty to achieve this lifetime goal.
 
I will be waiting to hear from you positively soon.

 
Regards,
Victor Addo.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam