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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "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)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Madam Gloria Caldwell" <madamgloria1@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: madamgloriacaldwell@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 01:10:26 -0700
Subject: (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY) FROM MADAM GLORIA CALDWELL.


Dear beloved friend,

I know that this letter may be a very big surprise to you, I came across
your email contact from my personal search and I instructed the doctor here
in this hospital to help me email you and I believe that you will be honest
to fulfill my final wish before I will die.


I am Madam. Gloria Caldwell from LONDON, I am 58 years old, I am deaf and
suffering from a long time cancer of the breast, which also affected my
brain.From all indication my condition is really deteriorating, and my
doctors have courageously advised me that I may not live beyond the next two
months, this is because the cancer stage has reached a critical stage. I was
brought up in a motherless babys home, and was married to my late husband
for twenty years without a child. My husband and I are true Christians, but
quite unfortunately,he died in a fatal motor accident.


Since his death I decided not to re-marry, I sold all my inherited
belongings and deposited all the sum of $3.2million dollars with a Bank.
Presently, this money is still in the BANK, and the management just wrote me
as the Legitimate beneficiary to come forward to receive the money after
keeping it for so long or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody
to receive it on my behalf since I can not come over as a result of my
illness, or they get it confiscated. Presently, I'm with my laptop in a
hospital where I have been undergoing treatment.


I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I
have only a few months to live. It is my last wish to see that this money is
invested in any organization of your choice and distributed each year among
the charity organization, the poor and the motherless babys home where I
come from. I want your good humanitarian,to also use t his money to fund
churches, orphanages and widows around. I must let you know that this was a
very hard decision, but I had to take a bold step towards this issue because
I have no further option. I hope you will help see my last wishes come true.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the BANK. I
will also issue you a letter of authority, which will prove that you are the
new beneficiary of my funds.


Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein.


Hope to hear from you soonest.


Awaiting your reply

Yours in Christ,
Mrs. Gloria Caldwell

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam