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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:
  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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +2347035914476
• 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.
  • judthwilliams0013@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: JUDITH WILLIAMS <judithwilliams@foundation.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: judthwilliams0013@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 12:45:17 +0200
Subject: best regard




O-Bay Community Trust Foundation
10 Spintex Road
Tema,Delta State
Nigeria
Telephone: +2347035914476

This is a personal email directed to you so it should be treated as
such.With apologies for interference in your privacy I am Mrs Judith
Williams,the director of the above mentioned foundation.I am writing you
in regard to a good friend of mine and founder of the O-Bay Community
Trust
Foundation,who was a foreigner and the managing director of an investment
firm
here in Nigeria
Unfortunately my boss died in 2004,He established these foundation
to help less privileged people and children in our society which it
wasdoing before the unfortunate death of its founder.
I am to conduct a standard process Investigation/Recommendation on
behalf of The Nationwide Bank Nigeria.This involves the late founder
ofour foundation who shares the same surname with you and also the
circumstances surrounding his private funds deposited with The Nationwide
Bank Nigeria, the bank
contacted me a month ago as the director of his foundation and a
trustee to recommend a next of kin to the funds since he (Our Late
founder)
died intestate and nominated no successor in title over the fund deposit
made with the bank amounting to US$7.2 Million (Seven Million Two hundred
thousand Dollars).
The essence of this communication with you is to request that you
provide me with information/comments on any or all of the two issues as
regards
nominating you to inherit the fund left behind since you are a
foreigner with the same surname hence eligible to stand for claim of the
funds.

I have therefore contacted you to be legally nominated as next of kin
(inheritor) to Our Late founder after all inquiries and investigation
even with the relevant embassy has yielded results showing that there
is no known or living next of kin.

It is pertinent that you inform me ASAP whether or not you are familiar
with this personality or and your interest towards the issues
mentioned.
You must appreciate that I am constrained from providing you with more
detailed information at this point. Please respond to this mail as
soon as possible to afford me the opportunity to provide you with more
information on matter and upon your consent proceed with the
recommendation of
your person to the bank as the inheritor of the funds.
Kindly forward your responce to my personal mailbox:
judthwilliams0013@yahoo.com.hk

Remain Blessed.
Mrs Judith william

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam