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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million 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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: susansmithxx1@zipmail.com.br
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 06:25:06 -0800
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?HAPPY=20NEW=20YEAR?=

Dear Beloved Friend,

Happy New year ,

Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address from a mail Directory
and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead. I am Mrs. Susan Smith,
i married to Dr. Clement Smith ,from Kenya who worked with a construction
company in Asia for twenty Years before he died in the tsunami disasters,
we were married but without Any children.Since his death I decided not to
remarry .


When my late husband was Alive he deposited GBP25Million Pounds Sterling
with a Bank named Citi Bank london.
Presently this money is still with the Bank and ,the management just Wrote
me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rather Issue
a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf if I cannot
come over.
I am presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment Cancer
of the lungs in a hospital, I have since lost my ability To talk and my
doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live.

I want a person that is trustworthy that will utilize this money to fund
churches, orphanages and widows around the world but in my name Mrs. Susan
Smith Foundation. By assisting me in this project, I have decided to offer
you 30% of total sum, while you will use the remain balance to built the
Charitable organization in with my name in your country for my rememberance
if i died in my illness.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Citi
Bank london.

I will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove you as The new
beneficiary of this fund.Please assure me that you will act accordingly
as I stated here in and Keep this contact confidential till such a time
this funds get to your Custody, because my late husband relation were trying
to get this infomation from me so that they can claim the said fund for
their personal interest . This is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my
last wish on Earth.

I appeal to you that we are going to hire a good lawyer here in london who
will represent you out here in london to secure all the legal documents
which will help you to claim this fund out from the bank in your name as
the legitimate next of kin to the decease person .

I await your urgent reply.

God Bless You,
Mrs. Susan Smith

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam