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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:
  • "million us 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)
  • "can i trust you?" (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: Stephen Houghes <shghes4975@msn.com>
Reply-To: <shoughes1975@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 09:04:49 +0000
Subject: Investment Assistance



Good day, My name is Sgt. Houghes serving in the military of the 1st Armored Division in Iraq. I need your help in keeping the money that we moved from Ba'qubah in Iraq safe. We moved this money some months ago to a Deposit Company in Europe. You know the funds are legal and it is oil money. We tried to move this money out early this year but unfortunately our Captain was posted out of Baghdad and we suspended the plan. We now have another opportunity hence we are making this contact to you. It was during one of our missions here in Iraq that we found large quantities of jewelries, gold, diamond, precious, stones and cash worth of 25.5 Million US dollars, mostly $100 dollar bill notes concealed in metal boxes belonging to Saddam Hussien's family. We want to move the funds from Europe to a secure place for investment purpose pending the completion of our assignment.
Can you help and can I trust you? We are ready to compensate you with good percentage of the funds.
If you are interested, I will provide you further details and instructions.Waiting for your urgent and positive response. Please send your full contact details so that I can reply back with details. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours Truly,
Sgt. Stephen Houghes.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam