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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
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• 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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
• This email message is a "dying widow" 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.
  • sarah.estradafamily@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "" <montaspol@iol.cz>
Reply-To: sarah.estradafamily@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:02:38 GMT
Subject: CHARITY PROJECT




Dear Friend writes from Lady Sarah Estrada,I am married to Engineer
David Estrada an Englishman who is dead.When my late husband was alive
he deposited the sum of 5 Million GBP a security company here in UK. My
Doctor told me that I have some day to live.due to the cancerous
problems.And now i have decided to donate the funds to you as a
gift from my husbands effort to fund the upkeep of widows,
widowers,orphans,destitute.God bless you.contact me via
email(sarah.estradafamily@gmail.com)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam