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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "godwill smith" <godwillsmith@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 08:53:37 +0000
Subject: God Bless YOU

Dear Beloved Friend,

Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address from a mail
Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead.
I am Mrs. Rose Smith from Holland. I am married to Dr. John Das a
Nigerian
who worked with a construction company in Asia for twenty
Years before he died in the tsunami disasters, we were married but
without
Any children.

Since his death I decided not to re-marry and presently I am 61 Years
old.
When my late husband was Alive he deposited the sum of 3 million
dollars (Three Million Dollars) with a Security Company.

Presently this money is still with the Security Company and the
management just Wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive
the
money or rather Issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive
it
on my behalf if I cannot come over.

I am presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment
Cancer of the lungs in a hospital, I have since lost my ability To talk
and my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to Live.
I want a person that is trustworthy that will utilize 90% of this money
to fund churches, orphanages and widows around the world but in my name
Mrs. Rose Smith"

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the
Security Company. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will
prove you as The new beneficiary of this fund.

Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein and
Keep this contact confidential till such a time this funds get to your
Custody, this is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on
Earth.
PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS;godwillsmith@msn.com
I await your urgent reply.

Regards,

Mother Rose Smaith

God Bless YOU

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam