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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
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
  • "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• 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.
  • jgerrard82@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3ajgerrard82@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Michael Sloane" <mikesln120@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: jgerrard82@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 08:49:08 -0700
Subject: COMPENSATION


From Dr. Michael Sloane

My Good Friend,

I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds transferred
under the cooperation of a new partner from Germany.

Presently I am in Holland for investment projects with my own share of the
total sum. Meanwhile, I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to
assist me in transferring those funds despite that it failed us some how.
Now contact my Confidential secretary as i stated below, follow his
instructions:

Rev.James Gerrard
Email:jgerrard82@hotmail.com <Email%3Ajgerrard82@hotmail.com>
Telephone number +233-2487-74531.

Ask him to send you the cheque worth of $950.000.00 which I kept for your
compensation for all your past efforts and attempts to assist me in this
matter and i appreciate your past efforts at that time very much.So feel
free and get in touch with my secretary Rev.James Gerrard and instruct him
where to send the cheque to you.

Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we can share the
joy together after all the suffering at that time you were trying to help me
out.At this moment, I am very busy here because of the investment projects
which i and my new partner are having at hand. Finally, remember that i had
forwarded instruction to my secretary on your behalf to receive the
cheque,so feel free to get in touch with Rev.James Gerrard to send the
cheque to you without any further delay and try to be honest with him
because he is a God fearing man.

Best regards,
Dr Michael Sloane.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam