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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.

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "diplomatic immunity"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "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)
  • "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • gsegunademola@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Garuba.S.Ademola" <gsegunademola@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: gsegunademola@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:38:52 +0400
Subject: Cofidential Transaction

From the Desk of
National Securities Adviser to the Formal President
Chief Olusegun Obasanjor (OBJ) of Federal Republic of Nigeria

Dear Friend,
I am Lt, Gen, Garuba .A. Segun National Security Adviser t o out state President Federal Republic of Nigeria. I decided to contact you because of the prevailing security report reaching my office and the intense nature of policy in Nigeria. This is to inform you about my plan to send some funds to you via cash delivery. This system will be easier, secure for you and for me and my partner. We are going to send a payment slip of US$40 Million to you via diplomatic courier service.
Note: The money is coming in two sealed security consignment. I will use my position as the National Security Adviser to the President to send this fund to you. Please you don't have to worry for anything; the consignment will be coming through a Diplomatic agent who will accompany the consignment to your house address. All you need to do now is to send to me your full home or office address and your identity such as, international passport or drivers license including your contact phone numbers, The Diplomatic attaché will travel with the consignment and he will call you immediately he arrives your country's airport. I hope you understand me. Please don't send money to anybody until, I will let you know when the air lift of the consignment.
Note: The diplomat does not know the original content of the consignment. What l declared to them as the content is Sensitive Photographic Film Material. I did not declare money to them. If they call you and ask you of the contents please tell them the same thing Ok, I will let you know how far I have gone with the arrangement. I will secure the Diplomatic immunity clearance certificate that will be tagged on the boxes to make it stand as a diplomatic consignment. This clearance will make it pass every custom checkpoint all over the world without a hitch. Confirm the receipt of this message and send the requirements to me immediately. If you need more information about this, I will give you the contact of the diplomatic agents for more information on how to carry out the plan. Please I need urgent reply because the consignment will be scheduled to leave as soon as we hear from you. And most important if you are capable to receive it, pending on our arrival to share the money. Please this transaction is highly secret and confidential; if you can’t handle it dispose this letter and never disclose the identity for any reasons thanks.
Best Regards,
Lt, Gen Garuba Ademola Segun
National Security Adviser to the out state President
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Email; gsegunademola@hotmail.com <mailto:gsegunademola@hotmail.com>

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam