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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:38:51 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: I Remember Your Past Effort


Spam detection software, running on the system "geezemail.com", 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: Dear Friend It has been a long time we lost contact and I
have been trying your number wit hout success. I found your email contact
when I was searching my archive and I 'm happy to inform you about my success
in getting those funds Transferred und er the co-operation of a new partner
from Japan. [...]

Content analysis details: (8.6 points, 5.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
-1.4 ALL_TRUSTED Passed through trusted hosts only via SMTP
2.4 MILLION_USD BODY: Talks about millions of dollars
2.6 DEAR_FRIEND BODY: Dear Friend? That's not very dear!
0.0 HTML_MESSAGE BODY: HTML included in message
2.3 MIME_HTML_ONLY BODY: Message only has text/html MIME parts
2.6 ADVANCE_FEE_2 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam