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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (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. )
  • "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)
  • "million us dollars" (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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • frankobi07@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: frank obi <frankobi67878@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <frankobi07@myway.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 17:52:40 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY



Dear Friend,
I am an accountant with standard trust bank; my name is Mr. Frank Obi a Banker. I am the Accounts officer to ENGINEER Allan Calls a Foreign National, who is a contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.
Here in after shall be referred to as my client On May 4th 2002 , my client, his wife and their two children were involved in a plane crash with some members of ministers of sports of Nigeria, Airways flight with Company name EAS airline which departed from Kano to it destination Lagos crashed with all the passengers on-board and the flight crew, including his family died in this fatal air crash on 27 th January 2002.
After these several unsuccessful attempts, hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get the account confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged, particularly the standard trust bank Where the deceased had an account Valued at about ($18.5 million United States dollar).
The Bank's administrative department has issued me anotice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next fourteen official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since nobody came up for the claim so that the proceeds of this account valued at ($18.5 Million US Dollars) be paid to you and then you and I can share the money 50% to me and 50% to you. An attorney will be contracted to help us revalidate and notarize all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and I from any breach of the law.
You can send your further response to my privateemail:frankobi07@myway.com
Best regards,Mr Frank Obi

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam