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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • gidionkalu@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Gidion Kalu <zm918hetrl@testzimbra.com>
Reply-To: "gidionkalu1@yahoo.fr" <gidionkalu1@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:30:02 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: NEXT OF KIN NEEDED.




I AM BARRISTER GIDION KALU=20
A SOLICITOR AT LAW=20
CONTACT ME WITH THIS EMAIL=20
ADDRESS( gidionkalu@yahoo.fr )=20
=C2=A0=20

Dear Friend,=20


I am sorry for the embarrassment this mail might cause you, as we have not =
met before. I am Barrister Gidion Kalu, a solicitor at law, I am the person=
al attorney to Engineer Edward. A, qa national of your Country, who used to=
work with Mobil oil Nigeria plc. Hereinafter shall be referred to as my cl=
ient.=20

On the 21st of April 2002, my client, his wife and their children were invo=
lved in a car accident along Kano - Sokoto express Road while arriving from=
Easter Holiday to Warri Delta State.=20
All occupant of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives, since then I ha=
ve made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives th=
is has been unsuccessful. I came across your name and=20
contact, while I was searching for Edward's relations, since my search did =
not yield the desired result, I had to contact you for this project.=20

I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and properties left=
behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable =
by the finance house where these funds were deposited.=20
Particularly, the finance house where the deceased has an account valued $U=
SD18 Million Dollars, last year issued me a 12 months notice to provide the=
Next of Kin or have the fund consignment confiscated,and this altimatum ex=
pires by next month.=20

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over two years=
now, I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin of the deceased=
since you, so that the proceed of this deposit valued at $USD18 Million Do=
llars can be released to you and then you and I can share the money, 50% fo=
r me 45% for you, and the remaining 5% will be for expenses and tax.=20

I also have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any c=
laim we may make. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us se=
e this business through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a leg=
itimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Get i=
n touch with me through my emailaddress( gidionkalu@yahoo.fr ) so that we c=
an proceed.=20

Sincerely yours,=20

Barrister Gidion Kalu Esq.=20

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam