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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "is highly confidential" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "maryam abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • georgekelly@terra.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • georgekelly@terra.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • georgekelly@terra.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MARIAM ABACHA" <mariam_aba1@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2005 15:12:00 +0000
Subject: From the Desk of her Excellency,

ATLAS OIL NIGERIA LIMITED,
(A Subsidiary of Abacha real estates).
>From the Desk of her Excellency,
Dr.Mrs.Maryam Abacha.
C/O:MR.GEORGE KELLY.
E-mail:georgekelly@terra.com
Phone Number (+31-63373525)

Dear friend,


This might seem very deplorable for a person that you
do not know but as the title implies, I am Dr Mrs
Maryam Abacha, wife of the late General Sani Abacha.

I am contacting you due to the present situation as
regards the special panel set up by the present
democratic administration in my country (Nigeria)
under the anti-corruption law passed mainly to recover
what they (Government) termed "Abacha's looted
money".This law is yet another smear campaign aimed
mainly to frustrate, humiliate, dismember and widen
the scope of hatred to our family. A personal vendetta
by President Obasanjo who was jailed by my husband's
Government for plotting a coup d 'etat against his
administration.

This highly calculated attempt by this administration
cum Swiss government through bi-lateral relationship
has taken away from us over US$1.4billion in
Switzerland. The rampaging situation in our accounts
abroad has yielded to the barbaric pressure and just
last month we were squished out of another US$395m
and all this funds can be ascertained independently.

This government is bent on destroying our family. You
may be aware that my son (Mohammed), heir apparent to
the family just got out of prison after 3 years of
detention. Therefore, I am soliciting for genuine
partners that I can invest the family fortune that is
scattered all over the world.

I am in possession of $24 000.000 (TWENTY FOUR MILLION
U.S DOLLARS)in a Security Company that I intend to
invest abroad through your assistance. For the purpose
of investment in areas of your interest, contact me as
a handsome reward of 25%of the total sum awaits you,
subject to our negotiation and agreement.

You can contact me via my e-mail for security reason
for further details for now. In the event of you not
being interested in this proposal, endeavor to keep
this highly confidential.

Reply this letter urgently through my trustee E-mail
addresse:georgekelly@terra.com and call him on his
private line (+31-63373525) because I have already
inform him about the step I want to use to take this
money out of the shore of Africa and to avoid us
losing this money since it is the only remaining fund
left for the survival of my family.

Thanks for your anticipated co-operation.

Yours sincerely,
DR.MARYAM ABACHA.
My Trustee Email Address: georgekelly@terra.com
Phone Number (+31-63373525)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam