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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • barbrownwalter@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MRS.HELEN WOOD <hewood57k@aol.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 02 Jul 2003 15:43:51 +0100
Subject: RE : URGENT REPLY NEEDED





Hello,
My name is Mrs.Helen Wood I am a dying woman who have decided to donate what I have to you/ church. I am 61 years old and I was diagnosed for cancer for about 3 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband, who has left me everything he worked for.
I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to the you for the good work of God,rather than allow my relatives to use my husband hard earned funds ungodly.Please pray,that the good Lord forgive me my sins.I have asked God to forgive me and i beleive he has because He is a merciful God. I will be going in for an operation in less than twenty four hours.
I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $3,500,000 (Three million five hundred thousand dollars) to you for the good work of the lord, and also to help the motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows.
At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls right now due to the fact that my relatives are around me, and I have adjusted my WILL and my lawyer is aware I have changed my will. you and him will arrange the transfer of the funds from my account to you.I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always extend the good work to others.
Contact my lawyer with this specified email:{ barbrownwalter@aim.com }
and tell him that I have WILLED ($3,500,000.00) to you by quoting my personal reference number Law/chamber/solicitors/he/wd/W/7834010915 and I have also notified him that I am WILLING that amount to you for a specific and good work.I know I dont know you but I have been directed to do this.Thanks and God bless.
NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as I don't want anything that will Jeopardize my last wish. And Also I will be contacting with you by email as I don't want my relation or anybody to know because they are always around me.
Regards,
Mrs. Helen wood

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam