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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS SARAH FRANK"<sarahfrank@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 10 May 2009 04:19:29 -0700
Subject: -=[SPAM]=- Dear Beloved One


Spam detection software, running on the system "mail.vostok.lan", has
identified this incoming email as possible spam. The original message
has been attached to this so you can view it (if it isn't spam) or label
similar future email. If you have any questions, see
the administrator of that system for details.

Content preview: I am M.Sarah Frank.from England I am deaf and has cance=
r
of the breast I lost my husband 12yrs ago without a child of mine. I
have to sell all my properties left by my husband because the doctors
say i have less than 2months to live. [...]=20

Content analysis details: (11.7 points, 10.0 required)

pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- ---------------------------------------------=
-----
0.8 UNDISC_RECIPS Valid-looking To "undisclosed-recipients"
-1.8 ALL_TRUSTED Passed through trusted hosts only via SMTP
0.4 URG_BIZ BODY: Contains urgent matter
1.8 MILLION_USD BODY: Talks about millions of dollars
1.0 BAYES_60 BODY: Bayesian spam probability is 60 to 80%
[score: 0.6922]
4.0 DCC_CHECK Listed in DCC (http://rhyolite.com/anti-spam/=
dcc/)
0.0 ADVANCE_FEE_1 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419=
)
1.4 ADVANCE_FEE_2 Appears to be advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419=
)
4.1 FORGED_MUA_OUTLOOK Forged mail pretending to be from MS Outlook
-0.0 AWL AWL: From: address is in the auto white-list



Anti-fraud resources: