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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:
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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "barrister" (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)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • isahaminochambers101@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ma100" <ma100@terra.com.mx>
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 05:23:55 -0600
Subject: URGENT REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE.



Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mrs. Mariam. Abacha, the widow of General Sani Abacha the Late
Nigerian Head of State. It is my warmest pleasure writing you this confidential business offer irrespective of the fact that we have not met or done any thing that will re-impose absolute confidence but never the less. I am
very determined to communicate you with much believe that you will give
my proposal a consideration.
I am presently in distress and under house arrest while my son Mohammed
is undergoing trial in Lagos and Abuja though he has just been recently granted bail under the condition that my family refunds to the Federal Government some amount of money.
The present government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,has frozen all the
family account here in Nigeria and auctioned all our properties.
To save the family from total bankruptcy I plan to Transfer through an
Financial Institution Abroad, the sum of US25,500,000.00. secretly kept
after the death of my Husband. The money was deposited with a Security/Finance Institution in Europe.
However,because of the security Watch on me,i may not be able to carry
out this Transaction with you.Please contact my Lawyer Barrister Isah Amino, on his e-mail address (isahaminochambers101@yahoo.com ) my lawyer shall arrange with you,toward`s effective completion of this transaction.
Conclusively, we have agreed to offer you 30% of the total sum while
70% is to be held on trust by you until we decide on a suitable business investment in your country subsequent to our free movement by the Nigerian Government.
Endeavour to send your phone and fax numbers for easy Communications
and note that this project is not risky. Contact my Lawyer Barrister Isah Amino on his e-mail address :isahaminochambers101@yahoo.com or His Direct phone no.234-806-4598172. For more guidelines.
It is imperative that you keep all our communication very secret. Do
not mention my family"s name or disclose the transaction to anybody. If you
are not interested in assisting me, still get in touch so that I can make alternative arrangement as time is of the essence.Please do not expose me.
Sincerely Yours,
Mrs. Mariam Abacha(Dr.)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam