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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
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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.

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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?Goke=20Alfread?= <gokkeaffraed@yahoo.com.co>
Reply-To: alfreadjamess@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2008 06:10:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT CONFIDENTIAL MESSAGE FROM MR GOKE ADARA


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:gokkeaffraed@yahoo.com.co

URGENT CONFIDENTIAL MESSAGE FROM MR GOKE ADARA

- Dear Friend, I advise you to read this message carefully. My name is Mr Goke Adara.I represent Chief Tafa Balogun,the former IG [Inspector General] of the Nigeria Police Force. I have a very sensitive and confidential brief from this top executive to ask for your partnership in re-profiling funds over US$50M. I will not give the details, but in summary,the funds are coming via a swift security firm,whose name is withheld for now due to obvious reasons and pending when we open communicationtransaction.My client is willing to pay 10% [US$5 Million] for your .This is a legitimate partnership and "management fees". If you have the interest to assist,please write me back through this e-mail address and provide me with your confidential telephone number,fax number and private email address. As soon as I have these,I will provide further details and instruction.Please keep this very confidential;we can't afford any more political problems/scandal! Also,note that this project must be concluded within the shortest possible time.Please write back promptly.I will also uggest you visit this news site on the internet to be better informedabout this project. http://www.voiceofafricaradio.com/newsdetails.php?id=230 http://www.kwenu.com/publications/hankeso/tafa_balogun.htm . I will appreciate your swift response. Thanks. Yours faithfully, Mr Goke Adara.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam