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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
  • "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
  • "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Allen Ford" <allenford@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: allenford@o2.pl
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:01:43 -0700
Subject: Urgent Request


Dear Sir/Madam

Please do not be surprise to receive this email. My name is Allen Ford, I am
presently at the Refugee camp here in United Kingdom with my younger sister
(Ayesha), due to our condition since the death of our parent. However, I
write to seek your help/assistance to help us retrieve our consignment box
(US$5.5Million dollars) which is in the custody of a diplomat who brought it
out of our country after Mr Putra Augus disappointed us out of his
greediness. Please reply, to enable me give you more details.

Regards.

Allen Ford

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam