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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!
  
• 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.

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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:
  • "hundred thousand 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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447031928802 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "WILLIAM COLGATE II" <williamcolgate@gigainfo.org>
Reply-To: william.colgate_11@yahoo.it
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:36:23 +0000
Subject: LIFE OPPORTUNITY!




Hello,

I'm William Colgate II, an Executive Member of the Audit andCompensation Committee of ExxonMobil in London (http://www.exxonmobil.co.uk). I have a sensitive and private brief fromthe Senior Executives of this top oil company in need of yourpartnership to re-profile funds amounting to US$12.2M (Twelve MillionTwo Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). I
will let you have the details but in summary, the fund shall bepaid to you through our operating bank where it is presently depositedas soon as the legalization and documentation process is concluded inyour name.

This is a legitimate transaction without government interferenceand you shall be compensated with 20% of the total sum, should you andyour company agree to work with us. If you are interested, please replyfor further details.

Warm Regards,

William Colgate II
+44 703 192 8802

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam