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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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. )
  • "to 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 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)
  • "barrister" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: Peter Oke <davidanyawu@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: barristerpeteroke@myway.com
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 07:07:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.


Dear Friend,
=A0=20
I am Peter Oke,a Solicitor and an Advocate of the supreme court of Nigeria,=
I am the Personal Attorney to Mr.Jim Cruz,a consultant with an oil company =
here in Nigeria.On the 25th of January 2005,my client and his wife were inv=
olved in an autocrash accident along wushishi-Minna Express Road.Unfortunat=
ely they lost their lives in the event of the accident, Since then I have m=
ade several contacts as to locate any of his extended relatives, but all pr=
oved abortive.hence I decided to contact you.
=A0
I am contacting you to assist in retrieving the money valued at (US$22.5m)t=
hat was left behind by my client with the Spring Bank of nigeria plc, befor=
e it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank. Conseqently,Th=
e bank issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account co=
nfiscated within the next ten official working days. since I have been unsu=
ccesfull in locating the relatives for over 3 years now, I hereby seek your=
consent to act as the next of kin to the deceased, the proceeds of this ac=
count valued at (US$22.5 million dollars) can be paid to you and then you a=
nd I can share the money.I have all the necessary legal documents that can =
be used to back up this project.
=A0
My suggestion to you is that, I will like you as a foreigner to stand as th=
e next of kin/beneficiary to the fund deposited by my late client so that t=
he proceeds valued at US$22.5 million dollars will be paid to=A0 you.=20
=A0
Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this=
issue.Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account,=
which you willsend to the bank, we shall share in the ratio of 50% for you=
, and 50% for me. I have worked out a procedure that will ensure success, a=
nd as a lawyer, I will ensure that all our actions are within the confines =
of the law.
=A0
Should you be interested please,furnish me with your most direct tel=A0 and=
cell phone numbers for oral conversation after which=A0 I will provide you=
with more details of this transaction and how to proceed.=20
=A0
Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.
=A0
Barrister Peter Oke.=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam