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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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)
  • "million united state 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)
  • "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Ahmed Saraki" <billmail@purcell.biz>
Reply-To: ahmedsarakii@myway.com
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2007 08:45:23 -0800
Subject: GET BACK TO ME

FROM THE DESK OF AHMED SARAKI,
THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF NIGERIA
NATIONAL PETOLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC)

DEAR SIR,

I AM AHMED SARAKI, THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF NIGERIA NATIONAL, PETOLEUM
CORPORATION (NNPC). BASED, NIGER DELTA REGION SOUTH SOUTH NIGERIA. FIRST,
I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR BREAKING INTO YOUR PRIVACY; HOWEVER I HAVE
DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU THROUGH THIS MEDIUM DUE TO THE NEED FOR ME TO
URGENTLY QUIT MY MEMBERSHIP OF NIGERIA NATIONAL PETOLEUM CORPORATION
(NNPC).

I GOT YOUR CONTACT OVER THE INTERNET DURING MY SEARCH FOR ASSISTANCE IN
THIS TRANSACTION. I DECIDED TO QUIT AS I AM NO LONGER INTERESTED IN
BEING PART OF NIGERIA NATIONAL PETOLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC)
WICKED ACT AGAINST HUMANITY. WITH THE VIRTUE OF MY POSITION AS THE
ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF NIGERIA NATIONAL PETOLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC). I AM
PRESENTLY IN POCESSION OF THE SUM OF TWENTY SEVEN MILLION UNITED STATE
DOLLARS ($27MILLION). AND HAVE AS WELL PACKAGED IT IN A CONSIGNMENT.

I HAVE LIFTED THE CONSIGNMENT THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNEL TO A STRONG
VAULT OF A SECURITY COMPANY IN EUROPE FOR SAFE KEEPING AND SUBSEQUENTLY
TO INVEST IN A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS.

DEAR FRIEND, I HUMBLY SOLICIT FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE
THE CONSIGNMENT FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY AS THE BENEFICIARY OF THE CONSIGNMENT.
I SHALL COMPENSATE YOU WITH 30% OF THE TOTAL MONEY FOR ASSISTING ME IN SECURING
THE CONSIGNMENT.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME BECAUSE I WANT TO DISTANCE MYSELF FROM MY
NIGERIA NATIONAL PETOLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC). TO SAVE MY LIFE AND FAMILY
PRESENTLY IN NIGERIA. I WILL SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT TO GET BACK
TO ME CONFIRMING YOUR NTEREST TO RECEIVE THE CONSIGNMENT FROM THE SECURITY
COMPANY.I SHALL FEED YOU BACK WITH FURTHER DETAILS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR
POSITIVE RESPONSE.

PLEASE NOTE. YOU MUST HANDLE THIS DEAL WITH UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY TO
AVOID PUBLICITY ESPECIALY FROM NIGERIA NATIONAL PETOLEUM CORPORATIO (NNPC).
BOTH IN NIGER DELTA AND NIGERIA. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO FORWARD
THE FOLLOWINGS.

(1) YOUR FULL NAME
(2) HOUSE ADDRESS
(3) YOUR TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER
(4) YOUR AGE AND GENDER.

I HOWEVER GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE
ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW.

THANKS FOR YOUR KINDNESS.

RESPECTFULLY
AHMED SARAKI.

THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF NIGERIA
NATIONAL PETOLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam