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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "trunk box" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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 next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: DEBORAH WILLIAMS <imo4312@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: deta_48@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 19:16:08 +0100
Subject: DEBORAH WILLIAMS


Dear Sir,
THIS My name is DEBORAH WILLIAMS a widow bless with two female children.

In may,15th 2002.My husband,Mr.Hamza WILLIAMS died in a ghastly motor accident,on till his death he was the special assistent to EXXON MOBIL.NIGERIA.PLC.And died while on officier duty. In June 6th 2001,My late husband lodged in two trunk box the sum of US$2O.4M{Twenty Million Four Hundred Thousand United States dollars}and it was deposited in a Finance/Security Company in Europe,this he disclose to me two weeks before he died.

From his death to this very present time i have suffered alot from the family of my late husband because i couldn't give birth to a male child for my husband,so they have to take all that my late husband owned and left me and my two female children with nothing just for the fat that their tradition does not recongnise female children.

I therefore personally appeal to you religiously for
your urgent assistance to represent me in Europe and
lay claim for this money.This money is my only hope to
raise my children in the way my late husband intended
to.I am willing to share the money in this way,20% for
you 10% to make up all expence made to bring this
transaction to success,while 70% will be for me and my
children.

Please do respond to save my children from this
helpless condition. May Almighty God always be with you. Amen.

With all my regard

DEBORAH WILLIAMS

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam