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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!
  
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• 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.

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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)
  • "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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:25:38 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT


DEAR FRIEND,=20

GOOD DAY,I' M REVEREND SISTER MARY JOSEPH FROM ST.JUDE CATHOLIC CHURCH LOND=
ON ENGLAND.=20

IT'S VERY PATHETIC THAT WE LOST REV.FATHER JOE-BONO OF ST.JUDE CATHOLIC CHU=
RCH LONDON ENGLAND.LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO IS AN AMERICAN AND ALSO AN ORPH=
AN BUT NATIONALISED HERE IN ST.JUDE CATHOLIC CHURCH LONDON ENGLAND.=20

LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO DIED ON 5TH SEPTEMBER 2007 AND BEFORE HE DIED,HE M=
ADE A WILL.
=A0
I' M GLAD TO INFORM YOU THAT LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO MADE YOU THE BENEFICI=
ARY OF HIS WILL A SUM OF {300,000.00 three hundred thousand pounds} THROUGH=
YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS.
=A0
YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING HOW LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO MADE YOU THE BENEFICIAR=
Y OF HIS WILL.=20

LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO MADE A RANDOM SAMPLING OF THREE PEOPLE E-MAIL ADDR=
ESSES BY THE HELP OF MICROSOFT INTERNATIONAL FIRM AND AMONG THE THREE PEOPL=
E E-MAIL ADDRESSES,YOURS CAME OUT AS A DRAW AND THIS IS HOW LATE REV.FATHER=
JOE-BONO MADE YOU THE BENEFICIARY OF HIS WILL.
=A0
FORWARD THE DETAILS BELOW TO ME SO THAT I CAN FORWARD IT TO THE BARCLAYS BA=
NK PLC LONDON UK FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR FUNDS.
=A0
1,FULL NAME.
=A0
2,CONTACT ADDRESS.=20

3,COUNTRY.
=A0
4,AGE AND OCCUPATION.=20

5,PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER.=20

I AWAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU TODAY.=20

BEST REGARDS
GOD BLESS YOU.
REV.SISTER MARY JOSEPH.=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam