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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "attorneys " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • mrpaul_private10@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mrpaul_private11@yahoo.fr" <mrpaulmousa.2011@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrpaul_private11@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 05:27:33 +0200
Subject: Important message from Citi Bank plc.


Dear Friend,

I am a branch Manager of Citi Financial Bank plc here in the city of
Lagos-Nigeria,Actually, I isted your name amongst four other names & prayed
over them & decided to contact you directly.

I have a very urgent & confidential business proposition for you & for our
overall mutual interest. On June 6 1999,an American oil
consultant/contractor with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
Mr.Williams Wilson made a numbered time(fixed) deposit for twelve calendar
months,valued at USD$5,000,000.00(five million dollars) in my branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarded address but
got no reply. After a month we sent a reminder,& finally we discovered from
his contract employers NNPC, that Mr.Williams Wilson passed on as a result
of heart attack.On further investigation, I found out that he did not leave
a WILL & all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I therefore
made further investigation discovered that Mr.Williams Wilson did not
declare any next of kin in all his official documents, including his bank
deposit paperwork.This sum USD$5,000,000.00 is still floating in the bank
and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of
each year.No one will come forward to claim it.

According to Nigerian Laws, At the expiration of 9 years, the money will
revert to the ownership of the Nigerian government if nobody applies to
claim the funds.Consequently,my proposal is that I will like you as a
foreigner to stand in as a next of kin of Mr.Williams Wilson This is simple
1)I will like you to provide me immediately with your full names & address
so that the attorney will prepare the necessary documents & Affidavits,which
will put you as next of kin. 2)We shall employ the services of two attorneys
for drafting & notarization of the WILL and obtain the necessary documents
and letter of probate/administration in your favour for thetransfer.

The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60%
for me and 40% for you. There is no risk at all as the attorney and my
position will do the paperwork for this transaction as the branch manager
guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.If you are
interested, please reply immediately via this private email address. Upon
your response,(mrpaul_private10@yahoo.fr) I shall then provide you with more
details and relevant documents that will help you understand.PLEASE OBSERVE
UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY, and be rest assured that this would be most
profitable for both of us because i shall require your assistance to invest
my share in your country.Awaiting your urgent reply via this email:(
mrpaul_private10@yahoo.fr) please save me the anxiety of endless waiting.

God bless you,
Mr. Paul Mousa
Citi Bank plc Lagos.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam