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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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.

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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:
  • "top of the day to you" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
• 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.
  • jeanwilliams_jeanwily@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Williams" <mrjeanwilliams@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:35:44 -0800
Subject: Appeal

DEAR

TOP OF THE DAY TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHERE I GOT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, BUT BELIEVE ME THAT IT IS THE DOING OF THE GREAT ALLAH. MY NAME IS NZAU MOISE WILLIAMS (JNR), I AM THE ONLY SURVIVING SON OF LATE MAYOR NZAU MOISE WHO WAS A POPULAR GOLD AND DIAMOND DEALER IN CONGO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC.

MY LATE FATHER WAS KILLED DURING THE WAR BY OUR LATE PRESIDENT DR LAURENT KABILA. I WAS A STUDENT THEN IN CONGO I WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE THE HIT AND RUN TO THE GAMBIA WHERE I AM SEAKING POLITICAL ASSYLUM TILL DATE UNDER THE CARE OF THE UNITED NATIONS. WHEN THIS OCCURED AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD

BEFORE I DEPART FROM CONGO,I HAD SOME QUANTITY OF DIAMONDS WHICH MY DAD GAVE TO ME BEFORE HIS DEATH AND I DEPOSITED THEM NOW IN A SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN THE GAMBIA FOR SAFE KEEPING. MY LATE FATHER ALONGSIDE WITH MY MOTHER AND MY ONLY BROTHER WAS KILLED DURING THE WAR,I WAS LEFT ALONE AND I AM THE ONLY SURVIVAL SON OF LATE MAYOR NZAU MOISE . SINCE THEN, I HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER THE CARE OF THE UNITED NATIONS.

I HAVE BEEN KEEPING THIS SECRET TO MYSELF BECAUSE I DONT WANT TO LOOSE THE GOODS. THEY ARE MY FINAL HOPE. NOW I HAVE DECIDED TO SEARCH FOR A GENIUNE AND REPUTABLE COMPANY ABROAD WHO CAN HELP ME TO TRANSFER THIS DIAMOND OUT OF AFRICA FOR DISPOSAL. ALSO BRING ME OVER TO THE COUNTRY WHERE I CAN SETTLE DOWN TO FINISH MY EDUCATION AS A MEDICAL DOCTOR.

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN. I KNEW THAT DIAMOND ARE VERY EXPENSIVE IN YOUR COUNTRY SO I DECIDED FOR BOTH OF US TO DO THIS TOGETHER. UPON YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO ASSIST ME IN THIS REGARDS, WE CAN SIGN AGREEMENT FOR THE WORKING PROCEDURES AND ALSO I WILL GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTION.

I HAVE SOME DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT OF THE DIAMONDS WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY AND ALSO FROM THE GOVERNMENT IN CONGO FOR THE EXPORT ABROAD.I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE REPLY ME ON THIS EMAIL- jeanwilliams_jeanwily@yahoo.com

YOURS SINCERELY,
NZAU MOISE WILLIAMS.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam