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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:

• 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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
• 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.
  • +2348060935508 (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.
  • george_makolu2008@yahoo.com.au (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Prof. Larry Keyl" <chikeluojohn@ig.com.br>
Reply-To: deliveryserviceunit@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:59:11 -0700
Subject: contact my secretary at (george_makolu2008@yahoo.com.au)


Hello Dear Friend,

Compliment of the days, i hope that you are fine? if so glory be to God.
I'm
happy to inform you about my success in getting the fund transferred under
the cooperation of a new partner from Paragua, presently i'm in Paragua now
for investment projects with my own share of the total sum. Meanwhile,I
didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring
those funds despite that it failed us some how.

Now contact my secretary in Lagos, Fedral Republic Of Nigeria, his name is
Mr George Makolu and his Office Email address;(
george_makolu2008@yahoo.com.au)
+234-80-609-355-08.ask him to send you the Bank draft cashier cheque what
of
$950.000.00 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars Only) which I kept for
your compensation for all your past efforts and attempts to assist me at
that time.

I appreciated your efforts at that time very much. So feel free and get in
touch with my secretary Mr George Makolu and instruct him where to send the
amount to you. Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we
can share the joy after all the sufferness at that time.at the moment,I am
very busy here because of the investment projects which i and my new
partner
are having at hand,Finally, remember that I had forwarded instruction to my
secretary on your behalf to receive that money, so feel free to get in
touch
with him and he will send the cheque to you without any delay.

ONLY FORWARD THIS INFORMAITION TO HIM WHILE CONTACTING HIS OFFICE;

YOUR FULL NAME,...........................

YOUR FULL CONTACT ADDRESS,.................

YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBERS,....................

YOUR CITY AND COUNTRY,.....................

With best regards,
Prof. Larry Keyl

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam