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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.

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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million british pounds" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +27839446387 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • philipnelson20032003@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: madiba20032003@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 17:01:30 -0800
Subject: Urgent and Confidential

Dear Sir/Madam.

I am Dr.Philip Nelson, an accountant with the ministry
of Energy and natural resources South Africa,
presently we discovered the sum of 19.6 million
British pounds sterling, floating in our suspense
Account.


This money as a matter of fact was an over invoiced
Contract payment which has been approved for payment
Since 1999, now we want to secretly transfer
This money out for our personal use into an overseas
Account if you will allow us to use your account to
Receive this fund, we shall give you 30% for all your
Effort and expenses you will incur if you agree to
Help.
This is just a brief detail on this transaction
If you are ready and will to give us a chance please
For more confidentiality Contact me on my email
for more details or you can call me on my private
number +27 839 44 6387 and i will like you to write me back on this
email philipnelson20032003@yahoo.com

Thanks & God Bless

Dr.Philip Nelson

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam