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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:
  • "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. )
  • "huge deposit" (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 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)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +447011120908 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448712472267 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Geoge Wilson" <george2@nonifamily.net>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:56:04 +0530 (IST)
Subject: From George Wilson.

From: Barr. George Wilson.
17 Bolt Court,
London, W1D 5LG
Phone: +44-701-1120908
Fax : +44-87-1247-2267
Attn Sir/Madam,
I am Barr. George Wilson a solicitor and legal practitioner based in United
Kingdom. I am the personal attorney to Dr. George Brumley who was a
consultant with Shell UK LTD here in London, who shall
be referred to as my client. On the 21st of July 2003, my client Dr. George
Brumley and his family were involved in a fatal plane crash in Nairobi
Kenya, East Africa. Unfortunately my client Mr. George and his family lost
their lives. Here is the website of the
incident that struck on that faithful day.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/07/20/kenya.crash/index.html
Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients
extended relatives and this has proved unsuccessful. After my several
unsuccessful attempts to locate any member of his family hence I contacted
you. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by
my client before they get
confiscated or declared unclaimed by the security company where this huge
deposit were lodged. Particularly, the finance company where the deceased
had the said fund valued at USD20 million dollars has issued me a notice to
provide the next of kin.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 3 years, I
seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased, so that
the proceeds of this account valued at $20
Million Dollars can be paid to your account abroad, you will have 30% of the
money for your role while I will have 60% and 10% for expenses that we may
incure in the cause of processing the claim.
I have access to all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up
any claim we may make. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable
us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that will
protect you from any breach of the law. Please kindly get back to me through
my email address or personal phone number for confidentiality and send to me
your telephone and fax numbers to enable us discuss further about this
transaction.
Best regards
George Wilson Esq

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam