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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • jamesharfordx1@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <jamesharfordx1@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:02:39 +0000
Subject: RE: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION



From the Desk ofMr James HarfordHead, International Banking Division.Royal Bank of Scotland uk

Attention Beneficiary,

RE: INSTRUCTIONS TO CREDIT/TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT THE SUM OF US$10,000,000.00

We wish to contact and notify you that our bank "ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND UK BRANCH " has received instructions and mandate to transfer the total sum of USD$10,000,000.00 (TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) to you,through your designated bank account.We were also adviced to contact you first for proper identifications as the rightful beneficiary and receiver of this fund,to cross-check with the information forwarded to us in this bank,based on the internet fraud going arround the world.

Note that this bank will not commence the processement of your fund transfer,not until you reconfirm your complete and correct information to us to authenticate you as the rightful beneficiary.In accordance to this transfer instructions,you are requested to reconfirm to this office the following information:

1) FULL NAME:2) CURRENT ADDRESS:3) TELPHONE /FAX NUMBER:4) OFFICIAL ID CARD NO:5) PRESENT OCCUPATION:6) PURPOSE OF YOUR PAYMENT (Inheritance or Contract payment):7) FULL BANKING DETAILS:

Lastly, upon the receipt of the above information, details/modalities of your payment transfer by this bank will be forwarded to you.Awaits your prompt reconfirmation.
Yours sincerely,

Mr James Tim HarfordHead, International Banking Division. Royal Bank of Scotland UK EMAIL:jamesharfordx1@hotmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam