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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "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.
  • bruce_a_smith609@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "brusmith6005@terra.es" <brusmith6005@terra.es>
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:02:29 +0200 (MEST)
Subject: RE: TRANSACTION



FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
DIPLOMATIC FOREIGN DEBT RECONCILLIATION PANEL
FEDERAL SECRETARIAT COMPLEX,
Room 502, 5th Floor, Lagos
Email:bruce_a_smith609@hotmail.com



DEAR SIR/MADAM

I KNOW YOU MUST BE SURPRISED AT THIS DEVELOPMENT BUT I CHOSE TO TELL
YOU THE TRUTH BECAUSE OF MY SINCERE WISH TO TREAT EVERY MAN OR MADAM, AS I WOULD
EXPECT TO BE TREATED. AFTER THOROUGH INVESTIGATION ON CONTRACT PAYMENT
FILE AS DIRECTED BY THE PRESIDENCY, I DISCOVERED THAT IT WOULD TAKE A
LONG PROCESS FOR YOUR MONEY TO BE RELEASED DUE TO SOME IRREGULARITIES
DETECTED IN YOUR FILE.

DURING OUR INVESTIGATION, WE FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAVE SPENT SO MUCH
MONEY IN TRYING TO REALIZE YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT, WHICH DID NOT EVEN
REFLECT IN YOUR FILE, BUT I HAVE AN OFFER, WHICH WILL AT LEAST HELP YOUR
FINANCIAL STAND UNTIL YOU RECEIVE YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT. THIS OFFER IS AN
AMOUNT FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEFTOVER. IT IS A TOTAL SUM OF
US$15,000.000 (FIFTEEN

MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY), WHICH WILL BE SHARED BETWEEN YOU
AND I IN THE RATIO OF 50%-50%. THIS AMOUNT IS NOT FROM YOUR CONTRACT SUM
OR HAVE ANY THING RELATED TO YOUR CONTRACT SUM, RATHER IT IS A LEFT
OVER FROM THE AMOUNT USED IN PAYING LOCAL CONTRACTORS AND IT IS DIRECTLY
UNDER MY CUSTODY. I AM OFFERING YOU THIS BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN THAT YOUR
CONTRACT FUND WILL NOT BE RELEASED ON TIME UNTIL ALL THE ANOMALIES ARE
RECTIFIED AND ALSO BECAUSE YOU ARE A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR. FOR YOUR
INFORMATION, THIS IS NOT A CONTRACT PAYMENT. THEREFORE THERE WILL BE NO
BUREAUCRACY OR MISFORTUNE.PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE WILLING TO MAKE
THIS DEAL WITH ME, YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY ON THE ABOVE
TELEPHONE AND E-MAIL.FURNISHING

ME WITH YOUR NEW ACCOUNT. ALSO BE INFORMED THAT THIS TRANSACTION WILL
TAKE US JUST 48 HOURS TO ACCOMPLISH. NOTE: I AM NOT A NIGERIAN BUT ALSO
CAME FOR MY CONTRACT SUM BEFORE I STARTED WORKING WITH NIGERIAN
GOVERNMENT. I AM FROM AUSTRALIA AND WILL SEND YOU MY INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT AS
SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME AND YOU CONFIRM YOUR INTEREST. My direct
mail:bruce_a_smith609@hotmail.com

YOURS TRULY,

DR BRUCE A SMITH





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam