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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!
  
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22504671122 (Cote d'Ivoire, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Williams Alfarouk" <willis04@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: alfaro01@live.com
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 01:16:26 +0000
Subject: From Willams Alfarouk/Appeals For Assistance


From Willams Alfarouk/Appeals For Assistance
Dearest one,
Greetings in the name of God. I am Willams Alfarouk from Sierra Leone.I am
writing you from Rep of Cote d'Ivoire where i have been taking refugee after
the brutal war and Murder of my parents by the rebels during the renewed
Fighting in our country Sierra Leone. Because of the war my late Father sold
his shipping company and took me to a nearby country Cote d'Ivoire where he
deposited US$18,300,000.00 Million(Eigtheen Million Three Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) in his foreign account with one of the bank here in
Cote d'Ivoire. Please, I have prayed before contacting you with the trust in
God that you will be of help to me. All am seeking is your hornest
assistance to transfer this money to your account for a good investment
project in your country and also relocate to your country to further my
studies. I am willing to offer you 20% of the total sum for Your assistance.
Please for your good information this transaction Is 100% risk free and in
no way connected with any illegal transaction, Please help me to get out of
this terrible situation and the Almighty God will bless you. please kindly
get back to me through my private phone +225 04671122 for more discussion.

Best Regards
Willams Alfarouk

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam