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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:
  • "a security company " (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. )
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
  • "mariam abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Mariam Abacha" <familyinvestment2009@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:59:51 +0900 (JST)
Subject: HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Dear
I am Mrs. Mariam Abacha,

Wife of the late president of Nigeria,
General Sani Abacha who died on the 8th of July 1998 while in power. Fortunately, my Husband has sixty five million, Five hundred and fourty thousand United States Dollars(US$65,540.000.00)in cash which he intended to use for investment purposes overseas. This money was sent out of the country
via diplomatic means to avoid traces and deposited with a security company in Europe .

It is only my son and myself that knew where the money is
kept and has the documents for it. Due to the current situation in the country concerning the current Government atitude towards my family, we seek your assistance to transfer the ownership of this fund to you so that you can asisst us to claim it and use it for the purpose of investment as
intended by my husband. My family is currently being probed by this present government for alleged involvement in misappropriation of public funds during his regime.

Towards this effect, an embargo restricting my family members from traveling or carrying out financial transactions without their express permission is in force. This has put us in a very serious financial problem as we can hardly eat and take care of our family
now.this is the purpose of this urgent contact for coperation. However, I have an arrangement on how you can help us and recieve this money after receiving some assurances from you.The money personally belongs to my husband and he intended that it still be used for investment. No record ever
existed concerning this money, neither is the
money traceable by the government because there is no documentation concerning the funds in the Federal Treasury.

The security company will only require you to provide the certificate of deposite with which this was deposited and a power of attorney from the family to you for the claim, we have all these documents ready pending your confirmation. Bearing in mind that your assistance is needed to transfer
this fund, we have agreed for a commission of 20%(twenty Percent) of the total sum to you for the expected services and assistance. While 5% is mapped out for miscellaneous expenses.Your urgent response is highly needed. I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise utmost indulgence to
keep this matter extraordinarily confidential.

I await your urgent response through my private email

Mrs Mariam Abacha.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam