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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "million united states 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)
  • "% will be for you" (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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: frank okoh <okoh.fra3@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: <okohfrank89@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:48:43 +0000
Subject: WILL AND TESTAMENT !!!



Law Chamber Principal AttorneyOkoh Frank & Associates44, Kofo Abayomi Avenue,Victoria Island,Lagos-Nigeria.Dear Sir/Madam,Kindly accept my apology for sending unsolicited mail to you. I believeyou are a highly respected personality, considering the fact that Isourced your profile from a human resource profile database on yourcountry. Though, I do not know to what extent you are familiar withevents.Well, I am Barrister Okoh Frank, a Solicitor. I am the PersonalAttorney to Mr. Steve A. who used to work with Agip Oil Company in Nigeria. Onthe 21st of April 2004, his wife and their three children were involvedin a car accident along Abuja Express Road.Unfortunately, they all lost their lives in the event of the accident.Since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to locate anyof my client's relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. Afterthese several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives overthe Internet to locate any member of his family but to no avail, hence, Icontacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by myclient in a Bank.Particularly, the Finance House where the deceased deposited the US$15Million (Fifteen Million United States Dollars only) knows me very welland has ask me to present some one to claim the fund left my lateclient as they all know I am his attorney.Consequently, this Bank issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kinto claim the US$15 Million (Fifteen Million United States Dollars only) intheir custody within the next ten official working days. Since I havebeen unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, Iseek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased to claimthe fund as the Next of Kin to him so that the Bank will transfer thefund to your account.Upon receipt of the fund, I will come over to your country to meet withyou for the disbursement of the fund and then you and I will share themoney in this order: 60% will be for me, 40% will be for you. I haveall the necessary legal documents that can back our claim we may make withthe Bank.All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this dealthrough. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimatearrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.Best regards.Okoh FrankPrincipal Attorney

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam