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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:
  • "the consignment " (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "urgent assistance" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • fredusen_555@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: fred useni <fred456676776@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <fredusen_555@yahoo.es>
Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2007 21:29:00 +0100
Subject: WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU URGENTLY



I Mr Fred Useni, am the former managing director of Nigeria Port Authority [NPA] Calabar Branch, Nigeria, I am from Liverpool UK and i have being working here in Nigeria with [NPA] for about 26 years, so i have been in the country all my life. My purpose of contacting you, is that i need your urgent assistance. i have be resign in my company [NPA] and i have been paid my retirement benefit which is about N968,000,000 Nine hundred and sixty eight million Naira of which i have converted to us$5.7 million, After i converted the money, i went straight to the Western Union Money Transfer [WUMT] to pay the money, but to my suprise they told me that i can not pay such money through [WUMT] so i have to look for other means of which i can send the money out of the country and also travel out to meet the person that will help me. Now i have found a way of sending the money out of the country Nigeria through a courier service which i have met with one of the official that promise to help me out if only i will give him some money of which i have agree to give him $5,000 out of the money and i have made necessary arrangement concerning the money and i have package the remaining of the money in a box which is $5.6995 five point six million nine hundred and ninety five thousand dollars and i have arrange for my flight ticket back to my country to invest in a lucrative business. More so, i have concluded with all arrangement so what i need now is a trust worthy person that i can trust to help me out so the money will be delivered to the person, then i will travel to meet with the person, if you are God fearing and willing to help, then all i need from you is just the following information about you: #Your Full Name with is the receiver name.#Contact Address where the consignment will be delivered.#Nationality.#OCCUPATION.#Sex.#Age#Marital Status.#Phone Number for easy communication, Furthermore, you are going to have 20% of the total money and 80% will be for me also you have to note that this transaction is between both of us and there will be no third party. These transaction will take only five [5] working days as the consignment will get to you in four [4] days. Please if you are willing to help, please send the above information to my email box : fredusen_555@yahoo.es Counting on your co-operationYours Faithfully,Mr Fred Useni.
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam