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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
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
  • visa_officer@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Gerhard Famous" <visaofficer@30gigs.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: visa_officer@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2006 03:00:46 -0800
Subject: FREE VISA OFFER !!!

The Consular
American Embassy
115a Walter Ave. Warrington
Victoria Island
Lagos.

Attention:

I am Gerherd Famous. I am from the United State of America (USA). I am
the Vice Consular of American Embassy here in Lagos State. I just got
an appointment here in Nigeria on the 7th February 2006 and we all in the
Executive Board hereby annouces to the General Public that we have an
offer to Issue for those less privillege that can not afford to travel to
Other countries.

Offers are being made FREELY to:

1. CANADA ( 6 months to 1yr Free Visa Trip)
2. U.K ( 1-2 yrs free Visa Trip)
3. AMERICA ( 2yrs free Visa Trip)

The Executive Board is Issuing to only 500 people for this month, a
free VISA to the Three (3) Countries. If you are interested, kindly let us
know the following information and we will get back to you as soon as
we can.

INFORMATION NEEDED

FULL NAME:
ADDRESS:
AGE:
POSTAL CODE:
TELEPHONE:
FAX NUMBER:
COUNTRY:
OCCUPATION:

PLEASE NOTE THAT
This E-mail is being sent to those who do not have the ABILITY to
Travel to these Three (3) countries listed above. If you already have the
ability to travel out before, we advise for you to give others a chance
to explore to make their means of living.

This Message is brought to you by Ambassador John Campbell
The Cheif Consular of the American Embassy here in Nigeria Lagos State

http://usembassy.state.gov/nigeria/
http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/mt1/wwwhcons.html
http://www.maltamigration.com/library/governmentreports/1954.shtml
http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/global_issues/immigration.html
http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

Please send us your INTEREST and INFORMATION here in
( visa_officer@hotmail.com ) and we shall get back to you as soon as
possible.


Regards
Vice Consular
Gerhard Famous

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam