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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!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand great british pounds" (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)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: FedEx COURIER COMPANY <test@uth.gr> (may be fake)
Reply-To: fedex.customer08@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:22:30 +0300
Subject: [SPAM] I am Mrs.Rita.G.Hood


Spam detection software, running on the system "scyla.uth.gr", has
identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message
has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or label
similar future email. If you have any questions, see
the administrator of that system for details.

Content preview: FedEx COURIER COMPANY 12 Air Port Road,G.R.A. West Africa,
Nigeria. Good Day. I am Mrs.Rita.G.Hood Of the Fedex Delivery Service re=
garding
your ATM MASTER CARD,I have a Confirmable BankDraft of =A3500,000.00 GBP=
(Five
Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds),that i deposited the Draft with F=
edex
Delivery Service ,West Africa,I travelled out of the country for my holl=
idays
and I will not return back untill the end of September. [...]=20

Content analysis details: (4.9 points, 4.9 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- -----------------------------------------------=
---
2.6 ADVANCE_FEE_2 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)
2.4 ADVANCE_FEE_3 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419)
-0.1 AWL AWL: From: address is in the auto white-list

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam