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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.

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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:
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "@lawyer.com" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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 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.
  • +23417593931 (Nigeria, landline)
• 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.
  • madu_asso@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • madu@lawyer.com

Fraud email example:

From: MADU CHAMBERS <madu_asso@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2006 09:38:01 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Power of Attorney


MADU ASSOCIATES
ATTORNEY'S & SOLICITORS
12/14 MOSHOOD ABIOLA AVENUE IKEJA - LAGOS,NIGERIA
TEL/FAX: 234-1 7593931
EMAIL: madu_asso@yahoo.com
Registered Email: madu@lawyer.com

To:Amarjit Singh
Dear Sir,
We are an Independent Legal Firm attached to the Office of the
Presidency.Our services are in need in matters concerning contract payment.
Your name appeared in one of the weekly payment schdule Newsletters from
the Presidency and that is how we got to know about your contract
payment and all the things you have gone through.
It is true that there has been a lot of Litigation FOR and AGAINST your
Contract Payment. Some Top Government Officials want to frustrate your
effort by imposing unnecessary fees and charges,their plan is for you
to leave your Contract funds so that they will come back and claim the
funds. In Telegraphic Transfer what the APEX BANK does is to deduct all
charges and remit the balance.
You are not going to pay any fees or charges/No upfront payment. All we
need from you is a POWER OF ATTORNEY to empower us to help you collect
your Contractual Payment.We are prepared to be your representative here
in Nigeria and are ready to step on toes just to make sure that you
receive your funds.
Our retaining/Professional fees is cheap and Negotiable and can be paid
after you must have received your Payment.Our word is our bond. Contact
us immediately through the above tele/fax or email if you want to
engage our services.
Yours Faithfully,
Madu Uchechukwu (Esq)
Principal Attorney


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam