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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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.
• 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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • mr_pwallace10@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Peter Wallace" <ptw_11@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: mr_pwallace10@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2007 12:17:15 +0000
Subject: CLASSIFIED-PROPOSITION

From: Peter Wallace, Esq. (For Trustees)

Managing Partner (Herbert & Wallace)

London - United Kingdom.

Notification of Bequest.

On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Engr. Martin Wilczek, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address on the WILL. I wish to notify you that late Engr. Martin Wilczek made you a beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of Thirty Five Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars (USD$35,100.000.00) to you in the codicil and last testament to his will.

This may sound strange and unbelievable to you, but it is real and true. Being a widely traveled man, he must have been in contact with you in the past or simply you were nominated to him by one of his numerous friends abroad who wished you good. Engr.Martin Wilczek until his death was a former managing director and pioneer staff of a giant construction company (JULIUS BERGER). He was a very dedicated Christian who loved to give out. His great philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his life time. Engr. Martin Wilczek died on the 9th day of February 2004 at the age of 90 years, and his WILL is now ready for execution. According to him this money is to help the poor and the needy.

Please if I reach you as I am hopeful, endeavor to get back to me as soon as possible to enable me conclude my job. Also do send me your telephone number so I can call you for further clarification on this matter. I hope to hear from you in no distant time.

I await your urgent response in my alternate email box: mr_pwallace10@yahoo.co.uk

Yours in His Service,

Peter Wallace, Esq

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam