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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.

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:
  • "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "ADIDAS" <adidas@adidas.org>
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:20:52 +0530 (IST)
Subject: *****SPAM***** CONTACT PAYING BANK IMMEDIATELY


Spam detection software, running on the system "server01.hrcdigital.eu", has
identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message
has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or label
similar future email. If you have any questions, see
the administrator of that system for details.

Content preview: CONGRATULATION FROM ADIDAS PROMO!!!! You have won $800,000.00(Eight
Hundred Thousand America Dollar),from ADIDAS e-mail promotion,your mail happen
to be among the Ten(10) winner's for this year award. [...]

Content analysis details: (6.1 points, 5.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
2.1 SUBJ_ALL_CAPS Subject is all capitals
1.3 MISSING_HEADERS Missing To: header
0.6 US_DOLLARS_3 BODY: Mentions millions of $ ($NN,NNN,NNN.NN)
0.0 BAYES_50 BODY: Bayesian spam probability is 40 to 60%
[score: 0.5000]
0.1 RDNS_NONE Delivered to trusted network by a host with no rDNS
2.0 LOTTERY_PH_004470 LOTTERY_PH_004470

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam