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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:

• 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)
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348026822812 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • mrwilliamss2002@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mrwilliams litana" <mrwilliamsl2002@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 14:17:15 +0000
Subject:

From The Desk Of: Mr.Williams
Standard Trust Bank Plc
Plot 245 Adeolu Hope wall Street
Victoria Island Lagos-Nigeria
PrivateTel: +234-802-682-2812
Private Email: mrwilliamss2002@yahoo.fr
Hello Friend ,
I am a Accountant with STANDARD TRUST BANK(STB),My name is Mr Oluwadamilare
Williams,a Banker. I am the personal Account Manager to Engineer Anderson .
who is a National of your country, who used to work with an oil servicing
company in Nigeria. Here in after shall be referred to as my client On April
21, 2001, my client, his wife, and their three children were involved in a
car accident along Sagamu express way.

All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives.Since then I
have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients
extended Relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his last name
over the internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you.
I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left
behind by my client before they Get confiscated or declared unserviceable by
the bank where this huge deposits were lodged, particularly the STANDARD
TRUST BANK PLC. Where the deceased had an account Valued at about ($25.5
million u s dollars) has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin.

Or have the account confiscated within the next ten official working
days.Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 4
years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the
deceased since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this
account valued at ($25.5 million us dollars) can be paid to you and then you
and I Can share the money.

Note : I will want you to contact me through my private email address :
mrwilliamss2002@yahoo.fr

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through.
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law.
Best Regards,
Williams



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam