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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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• 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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • ",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)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348075424699 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • ecowas.zone@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: ecowas.zone@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:03:11 GMT
Subject: {Spam!}




This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of One Million
United States Dollars, ($1,000,000.00) for this year 2008 Lottery
promotion which is organized by ECOWAS DONATIONS 2008.
collects all the email addresses of the people
that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to the
Internet.we only select five people every Year as our winners through
electronic balloting System without the winner applying,wecongratulate
you for being one of the people selected.
These are your identification numbers:
Winning number...................ECW09788
Full Name:......
Residential Address:...........................
Occupation:.............Country:..............
Telephone:...........Fax:...............
Sex:.....................
Age:....................
These numbers fall within your Location file, you are requested to
contact the events manager/Claims Department, send your winning
identification numbers to him,to enable him verify your claims.
(CONTACT FINANCE DEPARTMENT)
Name:Dr.Anthony Moore
Tel: +234-8075424699
E-mail:ecowas.zone@gmail.com
Thank you and Accept my hearty congratulations once again!
Yours faithfully,
Mrs.Mary Jones

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam