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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:
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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)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
• This email message is a "dying merchant" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: franciskana2@internet.lu
Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 15:34:45 +0200
Subject: PLEASE BECAUSE OF GOD HELP ME

Dear Friend,

Before I will introduce myself, I hope and pray to GOD that I have the right person.As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday. My name is Francis Ndomba, a merchant in Gabonese Republic.I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer .It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live according to medical experts. I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for and i did all this because of my inability to bear a child.

But now I regret all this, as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world. I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it and i pray God will not create me impotent again. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly and i cannot do things myself anymore i will like you to do me favor, I have an adopted daughter as i cannot born and i cannot live alone. I do not trust my brothers anymore to die and live the adopted girl in their mix, as they seem not to be happy with her and they have sworded not to allow her live so that they can easily inbound all my belongings immediately i die.

I want you to help reply me back immediately so that the poor girl that i adopted in a motherless home can fly to meet you in your country before anything happens to me.I have money which no one knows about and is amounting at Four million dollars $4,000,000, in a dollars account that I have in a foreign bank.I am going to release this account to you for her good future.I need your urgent response so that i can give you an authority letter to submit to the bank to release the funds to you so that you can start immediately to direct the girl to meet you in your country.Please bring her up in a way she will not regret and make sure she is happily married, thanks i await your urgent response.

God be with you.
Francis Ndomba

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam