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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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• 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:

• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • johnhunter52@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: JOHN HUNTER <sgt.hunter34@msn.com>
Reply-To: <johnhunter52@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:56:33 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY





Dear Friend,

I know you would be surprised to read from someone relatively unknown to you before now. My name is John Hunter, a master sgt. of The U.S. Army, deployed to Iraq in the beginning of the war in 2003.I would like to share some highly personal classified information about my personal experience and role which I played in the pursuit of my career serving under the U.S ARMY which was at the fore-front of the war in Iraq. Though, I would like to hold back certain information for security reasons for now until you have found time to visit the BBC website stated below to enable you have insight regarding what I intend to share with you, believing that it would be of your desired interest in one way or the other. Here is a BBC news listing that confirms what I share with you.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/ middle_east/2988455.stm

Also, could you get back to me having visited the above website to enable us discuss in a more vivid manner to the best of your understanding? I must say that I'm very uncomfortable sending this message to you without knowing truly if you would misconstrue the importance and decide to go public. In this regards, I will not hold back to say that the essence of this letter is strictly for mutual benefit of you and I and nothing more. I will be more vivid and coherent in my next email in this regards to how you can claim the cash of US$65Million kept in safe deposit. Meanwhile, could you send me a mail confirming you have visited the site and understood my intentions? Standing by for your response on johnhunter52@gmail.com

Warm regards,

Sgt. John Hunter

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam