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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:
  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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "million us 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • barrwilliamokobi@yahoo.de

Fraud email example:

From: "williams okobi" <williamsokobi@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 04 Feb 2006 02:47:02 +0100
Subject: Good day to you

BARR WILLIAMS CHAMBERS
MARRYLAND, IKEJA,
NIGERIA.
PHONE: 234-803564755
FAX: 234-646743.

EMAIL:barrwilliamokobi@yahoo.de





Good day mr wallace
I am Barrister williams okobi ,the legal adviser to late
Mr.and Mrs. leonard pickett,a British couple that lived
in my Country Nigeria for 25 years before they both
died late last year. These couples were good
Christians, they were so dedicated to God but
had no child till they died. Throughout their
stay in my country, they acquired a lot of properties.
As their legal adviser, before their death, the
husband Mr. leonard pickett instructed me to write his
WILL. According to the WILL, the properties
have to be sold and part of the money be given out to
motherless homes which i have done. As their legal
adviser,all the documents for the properties were in my care.
He gave me the authority to sell the properties as
well.
In short, I sold all the properties after their death,
as instructed by Mr. leonard pickett before his death.
And as matter of fact, after I sold all their
properties, I realized more than $25,000,000.00
(Twenty Five million US dollars).Therefore the total
amount left now is $25,000,000.00 only.
I was afraid of putting the fund in the Bank,
because I have to give account to the bank on how I
got the money. I then packaged the fund in
consignments and deposited the consignments with a
Security Company here in my country. Now i want to
invest this money into business in your country and i
will want you to assist me with informations and
viable business i can go into.
I have decided to give you %25 of the total money when
moved to your country with your assistance.If you are
intrested, YOUR NAME,ADDRESS AND YOUR PHONE NUMBER,please
get back to me through this email address.
Regards
BARRISTER williams okobi

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam