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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:
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "industrial and commercial bank of china" (not involved with lotteries)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: zhang furong <zhang202040@msn.com>
Reply-To: <zhang360003@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:36:44 +0000
Subject: yours





~~This is for you !!
Dear friend,
I have a business deal in my bank value at 21.5Million us dollars, as a foreigner l can present you as the beneficiary to the inheritance since there is no written name for the inheritance l am Mr Zhang Furong an Executive director working with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC),I would provide you with all the necessary documents to lay claims and also I would avail you with the modalities we shall follow once I hear from you. If you are interested, kindly get back to me with your full contact information's and phone number via my private email
Upon your response l will give you more details about this transaction, if not interested you can delete this mail.
Regards,
Mr Zhang Furong
private number: +85281934025

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam