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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "30% for you " (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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • j_okocha50@yahoo.com.br (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: johnsonokocha1@zipmail.com.br
Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2006 03:54:05 +0200
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?URGENT=20ATTENTION?=

FROM THE DESK OF MR.JOHNSON OKOCHA,
ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.
EMAIL: j_okocha50@yahoo.com.br

ATTENTION:PRESIDENT/CEO, STRICTLY
A PRIVATE BUSINESS PROPOSAL,
I AM MR. JOHNSON OKOCHA, THE MANAGER, BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN
REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC.

I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND COOPERATION TO CARRY
OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT. WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED
SUM OF $15,000,000.00 (FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN
ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH
HIS ENTIRE FAMILY OF A WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN IN PLANE CRASH.

SINCE WE HEARD OF HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT-OF-KIN TO COME
OVER AND PUT CLAIMS FOR HIS MONEY AS THE HEIR,BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE
THE FUND FROM HIS ACCOUNT UNLESS SOME ONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXT-OF-KIN
TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES.

UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THEIR FAMILY MEMBER NOR DISTANTRELATIVE HAS EVER
APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUND.

UPON THIS DISCOVERY,I AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT HAVE AGREED TO
MAKE BUSINESS WITH YOU AND RELEASE THE TOTAL AMOUNT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS
THE HEIR OF THE FUND SINCE NO ONE CAME FOR IT OR DISCOVERED HE MAINTAINED
ACCOUNT WITH OUR BANK, OTHERWISE THE FUND WILL BE RETURNED TO THE BANKS
TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND.

WE HAVE AGREED THAT OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL BE ASSTATED THUS; 30% FOR
YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, 60% FOR US THE OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT AND 10%
FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF ALL LOCAL AND FOREIGN EXPENCES INCURRED BY US AND
YOU DURING THE COURSE OF THIS BUSINESS.

UPON THE COMPLETION OF THIS TRANSFER, I AND ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL COME
TO YOUR COUNTRY AND MIND OUR SHARE. IT IS FROM OUR 60% WE INTEND TO IMPORT
AGRICULTURAL MACHINERIES INTO MY COUNTRY AS A WAY OF RECYCLINGTHE FUND.


TO COMMENCE THIS TRANSACTION, WE REQUIRE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY INDICATE YOUR
INTEREST BY A RETURN E-MAIL AND ENCLOSE YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER,FAX
NUMBER,FULL NAME,ADDRESS AND YOUR DESIGNATED BANK COORDINATES TO ENABLE
US FILE LETTER OF CLAIM TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS FOR NECESSARY APPROVALS
BEFORE THETRANSFER CAN BE MADE.

NOTE ALSO,THIS TRANSACTION MUST BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE OF
ITS NATURE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.

MR. JOHNSON OKOCHA.
ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC.
N/B: ALL REPLY TO > j_okocha50@yahoo.com.br <

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam