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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:
  • "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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • akinwilliamss84@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 06:15:47 +0000
Subject: I CRAVE YOUR INDULGENCE


Hello,

My name is Mrs.Jane Peters;My husband and i was a contractor in Africa with Texaco oversea for over 10yrs. I am a dying woman who has decided to donate what I have to you/church.

I am 59 years old and I was diagnosed for cancer for about 2 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband, who has left me everything he worked for and because the doctors told me I will not live longer than some weeks because of my health,I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $2,400,000 (Two million four hundred thousand dollars) to you for the good work of humanity, and also to help the motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows.

I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always extend the good work to others.

Contact my lawyer (Barrister Akintola Williams) with this email below,
akinwilliamss84@hotmail.com ,and tell him that I have WILLED($2,400,000.00) to you and I have also notified him. I know I don’t know you but I have been directed to do this. Thanks and God bless.

NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as I don't want anything that will jeopardize my last wish.

From Jane Peters
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This e-mail was sent using Tiscali Webmail

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam