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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
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• 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:
  • "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.
  • private@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "Mariam Abacha" <hajjiahmariam2006priv@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 18:02:12 +0100
Subject: Please help


Highly Confidential Date: 23/05/2006
If not interested Please kindly keep it to your self.
My Dear Friend,

I am Hajjiah. Mariam Abacha, wife to the late Nigerian Head of state,
General Sani Abacha who is late now, l am contacting you with the hope that
you will be of great assistance to me.

In March 2006, we received information concerning some money running into
millions of Dollars that my late husband has kept in secret with an agency
and following the constant harassments meted on my family by the present
Government it will be difficult for us to claim this money directly
therefore we solicit your help to assist us make this claim because we
learnt that it will be easy for us to front a foreigner than fronting any
person from here.

Please send in your interest to the email attached to this mail:
mrsmabacha_2006_private@yahoo.fr or do call my son Mohammed immediately on
the following telephone number + 234-8060683250 for further briefing on this
matter. For the sake of certain Internet proliferation we advise you to
quote this secret code number when you call or write mail so that we will be
sure that you are the actual person we contacted (M00).

Your URGENT response is needed.

Please include your personal phone and fax number.

Regards
Hajjiah. Mariam Abacha.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam