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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge deposit" (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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • michambers@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Musa Ali Idris" <musaidrischambers11@excite.com>
Reply-To: michambers@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 12:41:29 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Urgent Response Needed


Urgent Response Needed

MUSA IDRIS LAW CHAMBERS121 MARINA STREET, LAGOS NIGERIAEMAIL: michambers@yahoo.com

Dear Friend

I am Barr. Barrister Musa Ali Idris An Attorney at Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, I am the personal Attorney to Engr. Mike Thomas Thompson, An American/European by Birth who used to work with Shell Development Company in Nigeria.

Here in after shall be referred to as my Client. On the 21st of April 2004, my client, his wife and their three Children were involved in a fatal car Accident along Saga mum Express Road. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several inquires to your Embassy to locate any of my clients extended Relatives this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track over the Internet, to locate any trust worthy person with same last name, hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank where these huge deposits were lodged.

Particularly, the Bank where the deceased had an account valued at about (US$16.5m) Sixteen Million Five Hundred United States Dollars The Bank Has issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin or have the Account confiscated within the next 21 working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 8 months now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name so That the proceeds of this account valued at (US$16.5M) Sixteen Million Five Hundred United States Dollars.

This Money can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money, all Necessary legal documents will be in place that can be used to back up any Claim we may make. All I require is your honest Cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. Guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please do get in touch with me through this mailbox: for more details, once I have your consent and trust then we can proceed immediately.

Your anticipated response is urgently needed.

Yours Truly,

Barrister Musa Ali Idris (Esq.)

_______________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam