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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:
  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
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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:
  • "into your nominated bank account" (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 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)
  • ",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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Ricky Williams <mailricky01@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: rickywilliams00@hotmail.com
Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:50:11 -0800 (PST)
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE




Attn:
I am Mr Ricky Williams, the Director of Contracts and Finance
Allocations with the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd.I seek your confidence and assistance in a business relationship for our mutual benefits. In 2004, a contract was awarded to an American Contractor for the Turn Around Service Maintenance of our four major refineries here in Nigeria and was grossly over-invoiced up to the tune of $296,000,000.00USD (Two Hundred and Ninety Six Million United States Dollars).The total contract sum was $260,000,000.00USD (Two Hundred and Sixty Million United States Dollars) but as a result of the over-invoicing, it was raised up to $296,000,000.00USD (Two Hundred and Ninety Six Million United States Dollars) and the contractor has been fully paid i.e $260,000,000.00USD (Two Hundred and Sixty Million United States
Dollars).
We however seek your assistance and support to enable us transfer the remaining sum of $36,000,000.00USD (Thirty Six Million United States Dollars) into your bank account or any other reliable bank account in your country for possible investments. The modalities to effect this transfer has been worked out as we are going to use our position here to place you as the contractor who the contract was awarded to and having accomplished the contract wish to apply for the Balance. We shall scrap every detail of the former contractor and replace it with yours to enable you apply for payments on our behalf as the beneficiary.
There are other documents to be obtained to support this transfer in your favour while we are assuring you that there is no risk involved in this transaction as all modalities will take the semblance of a real contractor. We have arranged to compensate you with 50% of the total funds, setting aside 1% to cover all expenses that might be incurred by both of us to facilitate the transfer into your nominated bank account. The remaining 49% will be for us.
If this business proposal is okay by you, please kindly get back to so that I will give you all the details you need to know to enable us facilitate the release of the funds to your custody. It is expected that this transaction is going to be concluded in the next 21 working days given your fullest cooperation.
I wait to hear from you urgently.
Yours faithfully,
Ricky Williams.








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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam