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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:
  • ",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)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Cynthia Wood" <cnthwood3@gmail.com>
Reply-To: cynwoodlyd@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 05:44:52 +0200
Subject: Lloyds TSB Group plc


Lloyds TSB Group plc
25 Gresham Street
London EC2V 7HN

Attns

Briefly, I am Cynthia Wood a citizen of London and work as a group finance
director in Lloyds Bank Tsb London .

I discovered a dormant account in my office, as Group finance director with
Lloyds bank London . It will be in my interest to transfer this fund worth
{£20,000,000,00} Twenty million GB Pounds Sterling in an account offshore.
If you can be a collaborator to this please indicate interest immediately
for us to proceed.

Remember this is absolutely confidential. My husband does not know about
this. My family will be in shambles if it burst out and I will also be in
trouble as well as lose my precious job. Your contact phone numbers and name
will be necessary for this effect.

Regards and God Bless,

Cynthia Wood.

Group Finance Director
Lloyds Bank London.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam