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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:
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "diplomatic immunity"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • ",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)
  • "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • +2348064389804 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • edmonddagogo2004@mail.ru

Fraud email example:

From: "dagogo Edmond" <edmonddagogo22@mailbox.hu>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 15:24:34 +0100
Subject: YOUR FUND AND MY ARRANGEMENT TO ASSIST YOU


CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
FACT FINDING AND SPECIAL DUTIES TUNUIBU SQUARE,
LAGOS-NIGERIA
MOBILE: 234-806-4389-804
E-mail: edmonddagogo2004@mail.ru
ATTN: Honorable Contractor,


I am Edmond Dagogo a senior staff with the central bank of Nigeria (CBN). In
the nutshell I and two of my department staffs noticed some irregularities
in your payment file, we found out within our computer networks that you had
not received your last phase installment payment due to the people you
called your partners and purported sister company here in Nigeria.

There are two security proof boxes inside our bank vault section in the
central bank, In furtherance I asked the officer in charge of the section to
be involved in this transaction and after he will receive a compensation
from you. And we know that according to information gathered from the bank
computer that you had been waiting for a long time to receive your contract
payment without success.

And now as I have found out that you have almost met all the statutory
requirements in respect of your payment but because of little miscalculation
and interest group in the computer section every payment were pending but we
can arrange to pay to you a part payment Now as I have known the delay I
assured to help send the two boxes which it's contents were physical cash of
$10 Million U.S.A. Dollars to your designated Address if you agree to
compensate I and my colleagues with $500,000.00 (Five hundred thousand
U.S.A. Dollars only, when the transaction is concluded effectively.

You are required to write a promissory note on that regards and send it to
me along with your private address where you want to receive the boxes. In
addition, I will send the boxes to you through international courier service
which my diplomat friend disclosed to me as the best courier company. The
courier company has diplomatic immunity to carry diplomatic cargoes. The
companies are not check by the customs anywhere in the world. I will meet
them as soon as I have your go-ahead order to send you the $10,000,000.00
(Ten Million U.S.A. Dollars) cash via courier service.

The diplomat friend promised to help us secure the necessary papers required
to avoid any problem. Now for security reasons do not disclose to anybody
about this method of payment until you receive cash at your door step,
because it may cause a lot of eyebrows if it is discovered we use this
method. Sequel to my saying I will send you the keys to open the boxes both
the outer and inner security code lock through another courier company, this
is to avoid tempering in any transit Airport.
I wait your immediate response. Please direct all your response to the above
email address. edmonddagogo2004@mail.ru

Yours faithfully,
Edmond Dagogo Director
(Fact Finding and Special Duties CBN)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam