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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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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",500,000" (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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: paul braddock <paulbraddock70@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: pauldradd@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:44:56 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Personal Letter


Dear Friend



I am Paul Braddock Internal Auditor in Crown investment Limited ,London Branch, In the course of my auditing; I discovered a floating fund in an account which was opened in 1990 belonging to a dead foreigner ,a national of your country. I decided to track his last name over the internet to locate any member of his family hence I got in
contact with you.

I want to move the sum of $18.5M from Crown investment Limited , in his account overseas. I am therefore writing to ask you that you quietly partner with me and providing an account or set up a new one that will serve the purpose of receiving this fund. Even an empty account can also serve as long as you prove to be honest to me till the end of the deal. I hope you will never let me down.

After going through the deceased records and files, I discovered that:
(1) No one has operated this account since 1993;
(2) He died without a heir; hence the money has been floating.
(3) No other person knows about this account and there was no known beneficiary. And if I do not remit this money urgently, it would be forfeited for nothing.

This money can only be approved to you legally as you have the same LAST NAME. Hence I am contacting you. I will require your urgent reply so that I give you the next step. Kindly forward your telephone and fax numbers. I am ready to give you the sum of $7,500,000 ($7.5M) for your assistance and partnership with me.I look forward to your prompt reply.

Best Regards,
Paul Braddock


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam