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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • lucykamara@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "lucy kamara" <lucykamara@biz.by>
Reply-To: lucykamara@rediffmail.com
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 10:29:09 +0100
Subject: DEAR SIR,


*DEAR SIR,

I AM MRS. LUCY KAMARA, AND MY ONLY SON IS JUDE. WE ARE FROM FREE-TOWN,
SIERRA-LEONE.

AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, OUR COUNTRY SIERRA-LEONE IS JUST RECOVERING FROM OVER
TEN YEARS BLOODY CIVIL WAR. WHICH LEFT OUR COUNTRY COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND
DEVASTATED.

SO WE CONTACT YOU TO SEEK YOUR INTEREST AND COOPERATION AS OUR FOREIGN
BUSINESS PARTNER. TO INVEST OUR FAMILY INHERITANCE FUNDS TOTALING US$90M IN
YOUR COUNTRY. AS A JOINT VENTURE PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS BETWEEN YOU AND US. OR
YOU ASSIST US SECURE OUR FUNDS IN YOUR COUNTRY.

WE INHERITED THE FUNDS US$90M FROM MY LATE HUSBAND, CHIEF (DR.) HARRISON
KAMARA, A FORMER CABINET MINISTER WHO WAS KILLED IN THE CIVIL WAR IN OUR
COUNTRY.

MY SON AND I AGREED THAT TO FULLY REWARD YOU, WE SHALL GIVE YOU 15% OF OUR
TOTAL FUNDS. YOU WOULD ALSO BE ENTITLED TO 30% OF EVERY PROFIT GENERATED
FROM THE INVESTMENT. THAT IS, IF YOU PUT IT INTO JOINT INVESTMENT.

I HOPE THIS BUSINESS WOULD INTEREST YOU, THEN REPLY THROUGH THIS EMAIL (
lucykamara@rediffmail.com**)

PLEASE RESPOND TO MY MESSAGE AS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I SECURE THE FUTURE
OF MY SON DAVID WITH OUR FUNDS.
LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR URGENT REPLY. REMAIN BLESSED.

BEST REGARDS,
MRS. LUCY KAMARA.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam