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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
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• 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:
  • "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. )
  • "million british pounds" (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)
• 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.
  • abrahamotti@aol.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Abraham Otti." <abraotti@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2007 22:56:19 -0800
Subject: VERY URGENT


From Abraham Otti.the only surviving son of late Vincent Otti who was untill =
his death the the second-in-command in Lord=92s Resistance Army Northern =
Uganda.
He died as a result of his enthusiasm for peace against the wishes of the =
Comander in Cheif Joseph Kony .I am presently under hiding as Cheif Joseph =
Kony has vow to eliminate all his surving family.My Mother and three =
sibblings were killed along with my father. I conducted a search in his =
secret underground vault right inside the family house which hasn't been =
accessed since his death, I made some interesting discoveries, bank documents =
of $65.8Million dollar deposited in a Swiss bank, and a cash deposit of =
(25Million British Pounds Sterlings) deposited with a security company in =
Europe. Unfortunately the Swiss account is presently unaccessible.

My aim of contacting you is to nominate you as the beneficiary of this =
deposit with the Security company in Europe for the transfer of this money =
to your account ,which i intend to invest in a lucrative business out there =
and If this offer is acceptable by you notify me immediately with your full =
contact details to enable my lawyer reach you for more discussions.
REPLY TO THIS EMAIL BELOW:
AbrahamOtti@aol.com
Best regards,
Abraham Otti.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Otti

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam