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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:

• 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:
  • "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)
  • "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.
• 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.
  • +447035903987 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • awelaw.chambers111@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Duke Patricks" <awelawchamberss20081@gmail.com>
Reply-To: awelawchambers1111@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:10:11 +0200
Subject: LETTER OF INTENT


Duke Patricks(Legal) Associates,
(Barrister & Solicitor)
4 Albert Embankments, London
SE1 7SR, United Kingdom.
Telephone: :+447035903987



Dearest Friend,



Please kindly accept my apology for sending unsolicited mail to you. I
believe you are a highly respected personality, considering the fact
that I sourced your profile from a human resource profile data base on
your country. Though, I do not know to what extent you are familiar
with this events. Well, I am barrister Duke Patricks a Solicitor. I
am the Personal Attorney to Dr Michael Williams,who worked with
Chevron Oil Company in England. Dr Michael Williams Died of a cardiac
arrest on 1st of July 2005.

Since I got Information about his death, I have made several enquiries
to your Embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this
has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful
attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet to locate
any member of his family but of no avail hence I contacted you. I
contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left
behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared lodged,
unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were Particularly,
the Bank where the deceased had account valued at about $11.5 million
dollars.

Consequently, the bank issued me a notice to provide the next of
kin/beneficiary of the fund or have the account confiscated within the
next 21 official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in
locating the relatives for over years now. I seek your consent to
present you as the next of kin/beneficiary of the deceased since you
are from the same country, so that the proceeds of this account valued
at $11.5 million dollars can be paid to you. I agree that 45% of this
money will be for you as foreign partner, in respect to stand as the
next of kin to late Dr Michael Williams and 55% would be for me.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this
transaction through. I require your phone & fax number as well.
Reply-to address awelaw.chambers111@yahoo.com or give me a call on
+447035903987, thanks while waiting your response.

With Best Regards,

Barrister Duke Patricks Esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam