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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "await your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "money orders " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
  • "cashiers check" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• This email message is a company representative scam. This type of job offer scam involves the cashing of fake checks and money orders. It could expose you to losses of tens of thousands of dollars as well as to the risk of criminal prosecution and (in some cases) imprisonment.
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • markholdings@safe-mail.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Collins Smith" <collinssmith1@mail.ru> (may be fake)
Reply-To: collinssmith@mail.ru
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 17:17:00 +0000
Subject: Reply Soon!!

Collins Smith ,Managing director
Mark Holdings,Ltd
Office address:77, Bd du général de Gaule
B13 Dakar,Senegal.
markholdings@safe-mail.net

ATTN:

Mark Holdings Ltd, is in search of a book-keeper/company representatives in the United States,canada and the UK.This project has been developed in a way not to affect your present job nor bring you any form of stress but in order to help take care of those extra costs while you work for us.

Mark Holdings,is a company thats deals in the production and supplies of Batik,Assorted African fabrics,various clothing materials,African art materials and all kinds of furnitures for exporting to the world.Presently our website is under construction and should be ready soon.

Recently It came to my knowledge that there are a lot of lapses in handling funds coming from our clients in the USA,Canada and UK which come in forms of Cashiers checks,Company checks and Money Orders which are not readily cashable outside the United States,Canada and UK,....So we need someone in the US,Canada and UK to work as our representatives and assist us in processing the payments from our various clients which come in on a weekly,monthly and annual basis.This is why we decided to employ a representatives over in the US,Canada and UK to help us receive our payments at your contact address you shall be providing us,in order to process our payment from our clients.

All you need to do is receive these payments from our clients in country,.. get it deposited at your bank,Cash it then deduct your percentage( 15% of each payment) plus transfer charges and forward the balance funds to one of company's representatives via Moneygram/Western Union.Our payments will be issued out in your name as we would inform our clients to do.Therefore the following details would be needed: I would require you to send me an email with the following details:

1)Your Fullname
2)Your Address
3)Your Phone number
4)Your Age
5)Your Occupation.
We would forward these informations to our clients and they will start making payments to you as the company's representative in the states,Canada or UK. Once we have all your details in our records,..We would notify you as soon as

we confirm that one of our cleints is mailing payment across to you. I await your urgent response.

Warmest Regards,
Collins Smith ,Managing director
Mark Holdings,Ltd
Office address:77, Bd du général de Gaule
B13 Dakar,Senegal

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam