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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:
  • "central bank of nigeria" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "vic mon" <vic_mon2@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: williamsadams001@o2.pl
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 01:13:00 +0000
Subject: URGENT RESPOND

DEAR FRIEND
I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME
.I AM DESMOND ADAM, I WORK IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, PACKAGING AND
COURIER DEPARTMENT. I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH FOR A HONEST PERSON
THROUGH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUESHEREIN THE CENTRAL BANK WHO SAID THAT ICAN
CONFIDE IN YOU . I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY IN
EUROPE WHICH I SHIPPED THROUGH OUR CBN ACCREDITED COURIER AGENT BUT THE
CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS $18,000,000.00 ALL IN $100.00 BILLS, BUT THE
COURIER COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS MONEY
THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE . ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS GIVE ME
YOUR MAILING ADDRESS YOUR PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX AND I HOPE THAT AT THE END
OF THE DAY , YOU WILL HAVE 30% AND 70% WILL BE FOR ME .MY IDENTITY MUST NOT
BE REVEALED TO ANYBODY. IF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY BY YOU ,YOU CAN CALL
E-MAIL ME FOR SECURITY REASONS. OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON
AS YOU GET BACK TO ME INCLUDING SENDING OF THE KEYS TO THE BOXES TO
YOU.NOTE:COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE STRICTLY THROUGH E-MAIL UNTILL I SEE YOUR
INTEREST/WILLINESS FOR SECURITY REASONS.
THANKS
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DESMOND ADAM

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam