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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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• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• 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.
  • benafonsi2@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Ben Afonsi <afonsi@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: <benafonsi1@myway.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 09:24:56 +0000
Subject: Timely Response



FROM ENGR. BEN AFONSI (JP)
GOOD DAY, REMITTANCE OF $USD10.000.000.00
MY NAME IS ENGR. BEN AFONSI,CHAIRMAN,AFRICAN UNION CONTRACTORS PAYMENT COMMITEE.I AM CONTACTING YOU TO INQUIRE IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME SAFEGUARD FUNDS IN YOUR ACCOUNT FOR MY INVESTMENT.THE FUND IS A LEGAL MONEY AND DO NOT HAVE ANY CONNECTION TO DRUG,MONEY LAUNDERING/TERRORISM
AT THE END OF THE TRANSACTION,YOU WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH 15% OF THE TOTAL MONEY TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS.THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE AS THE PROCESS SHALL BE LEGALLY FOLLOWED TO AVOID ANY BREACH OF LAW
I AM SKEPTICAL TO DISCUSS THE BUSINESS ON THE INTERNET OWING TO LOTS OF UNSOLICITED/SPAM MAILS ON THE INTERNET THESE DAYS AS I WOULD'NT WANT MY HONOURABLE NAME TO BE DRAGGED TO MESS AS MISTAKEN INTENTION. I WILL PROVIDE MORE DETAILS IF YOU PROVIDE ME WITH YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS INCLUDING YOUR MORE PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN EMAIL,CALL OR FAX YOU THE DETAILED INFORMATION BUT MUST FIRST ALL ASSURE ME THAT THE WHOLE TRANSACTION SHALL BE KEPT HIGHLY SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL DUE TO MY POSITION IN MY OFFICE FOR SECURITY REASON SEND YOUR RESPONSE ONLY TO THIS EMAIL: benafonsi2@myway.com OR SEND SMS MESSAGE TO +233 27 5284 665
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SOONEST
YOURS FAITHFULLY
ENGR.BEN AFONSI(JP)




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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam