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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "million united state 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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • +27741434177 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • tomadamsagent@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: msn online <maaaa1@web.de>
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:01:35 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON THE SUM OF USD$ 2,000,000.00.


Congratulations your email is among the two lucky winning that won$2,000,0=
00.00{Two million United State Dollars}Each in the just concluded draw hel=
d to promote South African 2010 World Cup,sponsored by cocacola british am=
erican tobacco companies south africa.for prize claiming,Call Mr.TOM ADAMS=
on this phone number +27 74 143 4177. or email him on tomadamsagent@yahoo=
.com [mailto:tomadamsagent@yahoo.com] And also provide the following infor=
mation for the processing of your winning fund. NAME:.....................=
...... ADDRESS:.................... NATIONALITY:...................... SEX=
:............................. AGE:............................ PHONE/MOBI=
LE:.......................... FAX:................................... OCCU=
PATION:............................ COMPANY:..............................=
...... Your Email Attached to Ticket No: (7PWYZ2006) and ballot No: BT:120=
52006/20) Yours Faithfully, Management.


=09
Mit der Gruppen-SMS von WEB.DE FreeMail k=F6nnen Sie eine SMS an alle=20
Freunde gleichzeitig schicken: *http://freemail.web.de/features/=3Fmc=3D021179=
* [http://freemail.web.de/features/=3Fmc=3D021179]=20
=20

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam