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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.

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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • maysarah56@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS SARAH MAY" <sarahmay45@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <maysarah56@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:10:50 -0600
Subject: URGENT MESSAGE FROM MRS SARAH MAY(AWAIT YOUR SWIFT RESPONSE)


Dear Sir/Madam
After going through your profile I decided to contact you for friendship
and assistance and distribution of my inheritance I have to say that I
have no intentions of causing you any Pains so I decided to contact you
through this medium. I got your Contact through a personal search via the
internet. As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me,
Because, I Believe every one will die some day.My name is Sarah May I am a
dying woman who have decided to donate What I
have to you/ church/charity Organizations.

I wish you All the best and May the good Lord bless you abundantly, and
please use The funds well and always extend the good work to others.NB: I
will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until The
task is accomplished as I don't want anything that will jeopardize My last
wish. And Also I will be contacting with you by email as I don't Want my
relation or anybody to know because they are always around me.Regards,
Sarah may Mrs.
Please contact me through the email address below
maysarah56@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam