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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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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)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "you will take 25%" (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)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • meryfrancois13@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mercy Francois" <meryfrancois20@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: meryfrancois13@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:20:10 +0100
Subject: TREAT THIS AS URGENT PLEASE.

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

I CRAVE YOUR INDULGENCE AS THIS IS COMING FROM
SOMEBODY YOU HAVE NOT KNOWN BEFORE.I DECIDED TO DO THIS AFTER PRAYING
AND FASTING OVER THE SITUATION. YOU SHOULD PLEASE CONSIDER THE
TRANSACTION ON ITS CONTENT AND NOT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE NOT KNOWN ME
BEFORE.

I NEED NOT DWELL ON HOW I CAME BY YOUR
CONTACT INFORMATION BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY SUCH
POSSIBILITIES THESE DAYS ATLEAST THROUGH THE
INTERNET.

I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AS MRS.MERCY KIDJO
FRANCOIS OF THE REPUBLIC OF BENIN NOW IN NIGERIA ON
MEDICAL GROUNDS AND, A WIDOW TO LATE MR.ABEL KIDJO
FRANCOIS WHO HAS BEEN A WELL KNOWN INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESSMAN.I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN DIAGNOSED OF THE
CANCER OF THE PELVICS. IAM WRITING TO YOU FROM MY
SICK BED RIGHT NOW VIA MY PERSONAL COMPUTER.

THERE IS THIS USD$15.5MILLION MY HUSBAND HAS
DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY OF WHICH IAM THE
NEXT OF KIN.WITH MY HEALTH CONDITION AND BECAUSE MY
HUSBAND AND I HAVE NO CHILDREN,IAM LOOKING FOR A
CREDIBLE AND GOD FEARING PERSON TO WHOM I WILL PASS
THE RIGHT OF NEXT OF KIN.THIS PERSON WILL APPLY TO
THE SECURITY COMPANY AND REQUEST FOR THE CLAIM OF
THE FUNDS.

THIS IS ON THE CONDITION THAT,YOU WILL TAKE 25% OF
THE FUND FOR YOURSELF,5% USED FOR EXPENSES,WHILE YOU
WILL USE OR INVEST THE REMAINING 70% IN A
LUCRATIVE VENTURE AND FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED PEOPLE
IN THE SOCIETY.THIS IS IN FULFILMENT OF THE LAST
REQUEST OF MY HUSBAND THAT:A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE
FUND BE USED TO CATER FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED.

IF THIS CONDITION IS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU,YOU SHOULD
CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY WITH YOUR FULL NAMES AND
CONTACT INFORMATION SO THAT IWILL RECOMMEND YOU AS
THE NEW NEXT OF KIN TO THE SECURITY COMPANY.I WILL
ALSO GIVE YOU A TEXT OF THE APPLICATION YOU ARE TO
SEND TO THE SECURITY COMPANY.

I CAN NOT PREDICT WHAT WILL BE MY FATE BY THE TIME
THE FUND WILL BE RELEASED TO YOU BUT,YOU SHOULD
PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE FUND IS USED AS I HAVE
DESCRIBED ABOVE.

SEND YOUR REPLY TO ME ONLY THROUGH THIS E- MAIL
ADDRESS:

meryfrancois13@yahoo.com

I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR RESPONSE.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

MRS.MERCY KIDJO FRANCOIS

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam