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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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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)
  • "trunk box" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "keep it confidential" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "liberia" (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.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• 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.
  • mikeokiro1@gawab.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: mike okiro <mikeokiro401@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 05:38:50 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Complement of the season?


Dear Sir/Madam,.
Complement of the season, greetings to your entire family, I had tried to call you but the line were very bad, well, Am happy to write you this message because I know you would be much interested and willing to give me the support I need from you.

Before I proceed I will quickly introduce my self so that you could know who you are bout to deal with.

I am Weetu the only child of Professor Mike Okiro, from Liberia, I ran from my country 3 days ago in other to save my dear life from been destroy by the rebels that killed my father and mother, I manage to escape from them, on my journey to Accra Ghana in west Africa I took along my late fathers trunk box of money that contain the sum ( $15 million USD), my initial aims of bringing this fund along was for investment purpose but reaching here I fund out that Ghana was not save for any better business.

Now I have made up my mined to relocate my life to your country I know that with your help and understanding you can transform my life with my money, my instincts are that you are a man with considerable business experience and it seems I can do business with you, I also know that your country is actually my preference for investing this fund given the current trend of world events.
This is why I am reaching you so that we can make fast arrangement to transfer this fund to your position in your country.

Am willing to offer you 25 percent of the total money in question for your kind assistance towards bringing I and my fund to your country for better and profitable business, at the moment you are the only one I am disclosing my position to, I have never told any body apart from you so please do keep it confidential for security .i will immediately proceed to wire you some money via Money gram or Western union so that you can come over and meet me while we both transfer the rest fund to your account peacefully.

It will be necessary to have more information about you and your idea to this effect to enable me makes necessary transfer arrangements.
I look forward to your prompt reply.

Regards Sincerely
Mike Okiro.
mikeokiro1@gawab.com.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam