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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • pauljohnjp@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MAGGIE WILLIAMS" <maggiewill24@aim.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 00:28:26 +1200
Subject: PLEASE CARRY OUT MY WILL.

Dear Firend,

My name is Mrs. Maggie Williams I am a 57 years old dying woman who have decided to donate what I have to you and charity.
I was diagnosed for cancer for about 2 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband, who has left me everything he
worked for. I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to you for the good work of
God, rather than allow my relatives to use my husband hard earned funds ungodly.

Please pray that the good Lord forgive me my sins. I have asked God to forgive me and I believe he has because he is a merciful
God. I will be going in for an operation very soon. I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $4,500,000 (four million five hundred thousand dollars)
to you for the good work of the lord, and also to help the motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows.

At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls right now due to my health status. However, you and the lawyer will arrange the
transfer of the funds from the save keeping company to you since he has the power of attorney and my mandate to execute it. I wish
you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always extend the good work to others.

Contact my lawyer, Barrister John Paul with this specified email: pauljohnjp@aim.com and tell him that I have WILLED ($4,500,000.00)
to you by quoting my personal reference number; WILL/9834520012 and I have also notified him that I am WILLING that amount to you
for a specific and good work. I know I don't know you but I have been directed to do this by God.

NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as I don't want anything that will jeopardize my
last wish. And I will be contacting with you by email as I don't want my relation or anybody to know because they are always around me.

Regards,

Maggie Williams.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam