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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs Anna Khan <mrsannaa3@msn.com>
Reply-To: <anna_kh@myway.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:15:24 +0000
Subject: PLEASE I NEED YOU TO ASSIST ME



My Dear Friend, Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address from a
mailDirectory and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead. My Name are Mrs. Anna Khan from United Kingdom, married to Dr. Harry R.
Khan who worked with Texaco Oil Company in Malaysia before he died in a
ghastly motor accident on his way to a Board meeting. Me and my Husband were married but without Any children. Since his
death I decided not to re-marry and presently I am 69 Years old. When
my late husband was live he deposited the sum of $16.5M. (Sixtheen
Million Five HundredThousand U.S. Dollars) with security company in
London. Presently this money is still with the Bank and the management just
Wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the boxes or
rather Issue a letter of authority to somebody to receive it on my
behalf. I am presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment
Cancer of the lungs. I have since lost my ability to talk and my
doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live so I think
the best thing to do is to use the money for charity purposes. I want a person who is trustworthy that I will make the beneficiary of
my late Husbands's Fund deposited with the security company so that the
person can get the boxes and utilize 90% of this money to fund
churches, orphanages and widows around the world. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact detailsof
the security company. I will also issue you a letter of authority that
will prove you as the new beneficiary of this fund. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated here in and
Keep this contact confidential till such a time this funds get to your
Custody. This is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on Earth. I await your urgent reply. Regards, Mrs. Anna Khan

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam