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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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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 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.
  • +2348025833541 (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.
  • james_obioma@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "jamesobioma@terra.es" <jamesobioma@terra.es>
Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2006 21:32:22 +0200 (MEST)
Subject: PLEASE READ AND REPLY



Dear Friend,


My name is Mr. James Obioma, the newly appointed Director of Contract Payment Authorization officer under the Federal Ministry of Finance; I work under the Finance Minister,I took over this office recently and in the cause of my routine check, I discovered a diskette in one of the files that my predecessor left behind and when I opened the diskette, I discovered a total of 5 email address of people I am not familiar with and I became confused, hence the reason why I am contacting you and the other 4 people whose contact were also in the diskette.


For the fact that my office is responsible for the release of Contract Payment, I am contacting you today to ask you if you are a one of the persons that is owed by the Nigeria Government, if you are then, you have to show me proof by confirming your full names, address, the amount you are claiming and also how you prefer your payment to be made to you. Since I have been tasked/mandated to make sure that my assumption into this new office becomes a positive, responsible and accountable one, I will make sure that you get what belongs to you if eventually you are one of the owed persons by the Nigerian Government.


I wish to inform you also, that I do not know you before and I do not know anything about you, that means that your advice will guide me a lot so that I will not make a mistake. I also wish to inform you that before we can move ahead to release your funds to you, you will be required to make a formal application through my office before endorsement and Authorization will be made to enable us pass information to the paying Bank to transfer your funds to your account without further obligation or hindrance. For the formal application, you will have to send the sum of US$965.99(Nine hundred and sixty Five dollars ninety nine cent) to my office.


As soon as you respond back to me, I shall tell you how to send the US$965.99 across to my office. You may Call me on Telephone number:+234-80-25833541 or you can send me a message only on my private email address: james_obioma@myway.com


Yours Truly,


Mr. James Obioma,
Director, Contract Payment Authorization Office
Telephone number:+234-80-25833541







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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam