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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:
  • "million 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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348025243188 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: deliverydesk_emartins01@live.com
Date: Sun, 03 May 2009 16:30:05 -0700
Subject: Attention: Dear Prominent User of the Internet


 
Attention: Dear Prominent User of the Internet
 
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family?
 
This is from a total cash prize of US 50,000,000 Million dollars,
given
to the first FIFTY (50) people who will be compensated in this world
internet
programs. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web
site
Through computer draw system.
 
Due to your effort, using internet programs indoor and in your office,
We want
to compensate you and show our gratitude to you with the sum of
$1,000,000.00
Million United States Of America Dollars we have authorized Mr. Ejembi
Martins

to assist your in getting your compensation check across to you.
 
The name and contact address of the Mr. Ejembi Martins is asfollows;
 
COMPENSATION HEAD OFFICE
CONTACT AGENT: Mr. Ejembi Martins
EMAIL: deliverydesk_emartins01@live.com

TEL: +2348025243188
 
Hope to hear from you soon.
 
Mrs. Mary Clarke
Lottery Co-coordinator.
. 2009 WORLD INTERNET PROGRAMS…
 

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam