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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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.

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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:
  • "from the desk of" (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 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.
  • +2348034476639 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • mrlawidowu@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Lawrence Idowu" <lawidowu1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: lawidowu11222@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 08:38:43 +0100
Subject: CAN YOU HANDLE THIS PROJECTS?

FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR. INCHARGE
FOREIGN ACCOUNT & AUDIT DEPARTMENT.

ATTN: DIRECTOR /CEO.


I decided to relate this transaction to you after going through you/your
company's profile proved that you can handle this transaction. I am
Mr.Lawrence Idowu, 50years old, and work with Citi Bank of Nigerian Plc(One
of the Richest Bank in Nigeria). There is an existing dormant account here
in our bank, which we have also monitored for the past 4years now, which
belong to one Late ENGR.ADAM ZOBLE, Nationality of your country. When I
discovered there was no deposits or withdrawal from this account for this
long period of time, I decided to carry out a system investigation which we
discovered that none of the family members nor relations of the late
ENGR.ADAM ZOBLE aware of this account. This is the story in a nutshell.

Now I want an account overseas where the bank will transfer this fund.
Thereafter I have planned to destroy all relative documents for this
account, after I had provided all necessary documentations on your behalf
as the next of kin to Late ENGR.ADAM ZOBLE, to received the total sum as
stated to your account immediately. It is a careful network and for the past
eleven month I have worked out every thing to ensure a hitch free
operation.Regarding, the amount at this moment and plus accumulated
interest, balance in this account stand at total sum of ($15.2).

Now our question is. -

(1) Can you handle this project? (2) Can we give you the trust that you
will release our share of the above total sum as soon as you received in
your account without delaying? We have agreed to offer you this percentage
20% of the total amount of receiving this fund into your account
successfully.Please kindly consider this and get back to me, Call me through
my direct telephone as given below first as soon as you received this mail.

Finally, it is our humble prayer that the information as contained herein
is according to the necessary attention, Urgency, Secrecy as well as it
deserve. I'm expecting your urgent response if you can handle this project
through which I will indicate the details on how we can achieve this
transfer successfully.

Yours Faithfully.

Mr.Lawrence Idowu,(Director)
Foreign account Unit & Audit Dept.
DL-TEL: 234-803-447-6639
mrlawidowu@yahoo.co.uk
CITI BANK OF NIGERIAN PLC - HEADQUARTER

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam