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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
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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "mariam 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.
  • peterdesmond90@tsamail.co.za
  • barr_desmondpeter@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "peter desmond" <peter50_99@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 23:06:40 +0000
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION.


Dear Sir/Madam,
Don't be surprised to receive this letter, however, I got your contact from
the Chamber of Commerce and Trade. we decided to contact you for
confidential, urgent and rewarding joint business.
My name is Barr. Peter Robert Desmond , I 'm a Lawyer to the Late NIgeria
President, Sani Abacha , who died in 1998 and my aim of writing to you is
because of the need for a trusted and honest person, who I can entrust the
sum of US$60,000000(Sixty million US Dollars).
The late president deposited this money in a bank oversea in his family
name before his death. Now that he is late, The wife (Madam Mariam Abacha)
want to transfer the money from the bank to your account for investment in
your country , she and the family can not travel out of country due to the
tring going on between the family and federal Government of Nigeria ,hence I
am asking for your assistance to have this fund in your care pending when
they will secure travel documents to come over to your place. If you accept
this offer , we shall give you, 35%, 65% for the family . I have all the
documents to the fund with me, which I can send to you to enable you stand
as the rightful beneficiary of the fund.
Be assured that this business is risk-free and legitimate.
Please advise me on your position immediately you receive this mail.
If okey by you, kindly indicating your phone and fax numbers for easy
communication.
I await your prompt reply through this mail
address:peterdesmond90@tsamail.co.za or
barr_desmondpeter@yahoo.com
for more disscousion, i will explain more and give you my information in
London when i see your interest towards our request .
Best Regards,
Barr. Peter Desmond.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam