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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "trunk box" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "trunk boxes" (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 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.
  • michwilliams401@yahoo.co.in (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: michael williams <mich401williams01@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 13:41:39 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Urgent responce?


My Dear Friend,

I am Michael Williams the son of late Dr Johnson williams from Ivroy coast .I am writeing you for your asisstance over my father deposited consigment in a security company here in accra ghana west africa and i belive you could be a nice and trustworthy someone.Hence i decided to contact you in respect of my late father fund $25musd which he put inside two trunk boxes and deposited it in a security company here in ghana before he died.

So I want you to be my foreign beneficiary who will help me to claim and transfer this boxes out of africa to you in your country for invetsment purpose .for your foreign assistance i and my sister have agrreed to offer to you 30% of the total fund and 5% for any expenses that might occur during this trasaction. .

Please i want you to get back to me as soon as possible for further details.
Yours Trully
Michael Williams.
Email: michwilliams401@yahoo.co.in.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam