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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
• 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.
  • +2348034691293 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Ibrahim Abacha" <ibrahimabacha2002@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: abacha_dynasty@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 05:46:35 -0500
Subject: BENEFIT FOR US

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

COMPLIMENTS OF THE NEW YEAR.

MY NAME IS IBRAHIM ABACHA,THE SON OF THE LATE NIGERIAN PRESIDENT, GENERAL
SANNI ABACHA,I AM SEEKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN COLLECTING MY LATE FATHER'S
MONEY THAT IS IN A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN EUROPE AMMOUNTING TO EIGHT
MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR PURPOSE OF INVESTMENT.

FOR DOING THIS YOU WILL BE REWARDED TO THE AMMOUNT OF ONE MILLION TWO
HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS WHICH IS FIFTEEN PERCENT OF THE
TOTAL SUM IN QUESTION.

PLEASE I NEED YOU TO CONTACT ME ON MY CONFIDENTIAL NUMBER ++234-803-469-1293

AWAITING YOUR PROMPT AND STRICT CONFIDENTIAL RESPONSE


IBRAHIM ABACHA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam