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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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• 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.

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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:
  • "million united state 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)
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• 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: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:21:02 +0000
Subject: YOUR ATM CARD


ATTN

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT PART OF YOUR FUNDS HAS BEING LODGE INTO AN
AUTOMATED MACHINE CARD (ATM) YOUR CARD WAS LOADED LAST WEEK WITH

THE SUM OF $1.5MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS HERE IN MY BANK AND IS READY AND
AVAILABLE FOR DELIVERY BUT NEEDED TO BE RE-ACTIVATED BEFORE IT CAN BE
DISPATCH TO YOUR MAILING ADDRESS GIVEN AS THIS IS TO AVOID ELECTRONIC
PROBLEM WHEN WITHDRAWING MONEY FROM YOUR CARD.
THE ACTIVATION NEEDS TO BE DONE,WE NEED TO GET YOUR PIN CODE
ACTIVATED,WITHOUT RE-ACTIVATING THIS PIN CODE YOU CANNOT WITHDRAW MONEY FROM
YOUR CARD,YOU ARE THEREFORE ADVICE TO PAY THE SUM $650USD TO GET YOUR PIN
NUMBERS ACTIVATED,WE ARE ALSO GIVING YOU AN ASSURANCE

THAT AS SOON AS THIS ABOVE AMOUNT IS BEING PAID THE PIN NUMBERS OF YOUR CARD
WILL BE ACTIVATED AND SENT TO YOU EVEN BEFORE YOUR CARDS ARRIVE AT YOUR
DOOR-STEP.
MORE ALSO YOU HAVE TO NOTE THAT THE DELIVERY OF YOUR CARD TO YOU AFTER PIN
CODE HAVE BEING ACTIVATED WILL TAKE THE DELIVERY SERVICES THREE WORKING DAYS
TO GET TO YOUR GIVEN ADDRESS.
I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSES TO THIS LETTER,


REGARDS
DR.PAUL ACQUAH

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam