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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:
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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:
  • "outstanding contractors" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your payment is being processed" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "hundred thousand united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
  • "charles c. soludo" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +2348035650123 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: CONTACT PAYMENT OFFICIAL NOTICE <mailbox1111@emsergipe.com>
Reply-To: cbn_secuitpaymentunit204@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 12:01:53 -0300
Subject: OFFICIAL PAYMENT NOTICE

=20 FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA =20 CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA TINUBU SQUARE, VICTORIA ISLAND LAGOS.=46rom the desk of=20Professor. Charles c. soludothe executive governor=20Central bank of Nigeria (CBN)Tinubu square, Victoria IslandLagos-Nigeria.=20Tel: 234-8035650123=20(office of the governor)=20=20contract #: mav/nnpc/fgn/min/05009,Attention: honorable contractor.=20Immediate contract payment. Contract: # mav/nnpc/fgn/min/05009=20from the records of outstanding contractors due for payment with the fede=ral government of Nigeria, your name and company was discovered as next o=n the list of the outstanding contractors who have not yet received their= payments.=20i wish to inform you that your payment is being processed and will be rel=ease to you as soon as you respond to this letter. also note that from th=e record in my file your outstanding contract payment is usd$42,700,000.0=0(forty two million seven hundred thousand united state dollars.=20kindly re-confirm to me the followings:=201) your full name.---------------------2) phone, fax and mobile #.--------------3) company name, position and address.-----------------4) profession, age and marital status.--------------------5) copy of your identification, valid id or international passport.----=20as soon as this information is received, your payment will be made to you==2E in addition to this, you are required to indicate your method of paym=ent, if by wire transfer or by check.you can call me on my direct line {234-8035650123} as soon as you receive= this letter for further discussion get back to me on this=20e-mail: cbn_secuitpaymentunit204@yahoo.comThanks=20yours sincerely,=20prof Charles c. soludoexecutive governorcentral bank of Nigeria (CBN)TELEPHONE: - 234-8035650123

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam