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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.

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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:
  • "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)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Rita Anderson" <randerson2@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: rita_anderson4@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 12:40:36 -0700
Subject: My beloved in Christ,


My beloved in Christ,

Greetings to you in the most wonderful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. His richest blessings shall be upon you forever.I am Mrs.Rita
Anderson, I am 51 years old from Neitherland, I am deaf and suffering from a
long time cancer of the Lungs which also affected my brain, from all
indication my conditions is really deteriorating and it is quite obvious
that, according to my doctors they have advised me that i live for the next
two months, this is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad
stage.I was brought up from a motherless babies home, was married to my late
husband for twenty years without a child My husband died in a fatal motor
accident.

Before his death we were true Christians. Since his death I decided not to
re-marry, I sold all my inherited belongings and depositedall the sum of
$18.5million dollars with a Security Company.Presently, this money is still
with them and the management just wrote me as the true owner to come forward
to receive the money for keeping it so long or rather issue a letter of
authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf since I can not come
over because of my illness or they get it confisticated.

Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I have been under going
treatment for cancer of the lungs.I have since lost my ability to talk and
my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live.It is my last
wish to see that this money is invested to any organization of your choice
and distributed each year among the charity organization, the poor and the
motherless babies home where I come from. I want you God fearing, to also
use this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows.

I took this decision, before i rest in peace because my time will soon be
up. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the
Security Company. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will
improve you as the new beneficiary of my fund.Please assure me that you will
act accordingly as I stated herein. I shall wait at your prayerful reply.

Yours in His Service,

Mrs.Rita Anderson.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam