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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348060426551 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Dr Williams Moore <musa@emsergipe.com>
Reply-To: williamsmoore110@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 05:59:00 -0300
Subject: Dr. Williams Moore.

My Dear.=20I know this will come to you as a surprise because you do not know me. I =am Dr Williams Moore, I formerly work with the Central Bank of Nigeria, u=nder Packaging and Courier Department before I get stroke after the Niger=ia bomb blast which came up 2 February, 2003. Here is the website:=20http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2718295.stm=20http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2698081.stm=20Also it was during this bomb blast I lost my darling wife with two childr=en remaining one son, due to this my son that I need your assistance to s=ecure this fund. Because of this incident I resign from the bank for a tr=eatment in London-UK, Europe which I has spent a lot of money.I got your =contact through your country short listed directory, I want you to help m=e clear this package that is already in overseas which I shipped through =our CBN accredited courier agent but the contents of the package is US$20=,000,000.00 all in US$100.00 bills, but the courier company does not know= that it is money that I have in the package.=20All I want you to do for me now is this give me your mailing address, pri=vate phone and fax number.And I hope that at the end of the day, you will= have 30% and 70% will be for me. My identity must not be revealed to any=body. If this arrangement is okay by you,=20you can e-mail me back immediately for security reasons.=20Other modalities will be discussed as soon as you get back to me includin=g sending of the keys to the boxes to you. Note: communication should be =strictly through e-mail for security reasons.=20Yours faithfully,=20Dr. Williams Moore.=20Call+234-8060-426551=20If you feel that you will assist me in this matter, mail me so that we ca=n discuss on how to get the consignment of money deliver to your address =and your sincerity=20towards this matter.=20

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam