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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • ali_mohammed1990@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Aliyu mohammed" <aliyu.moh@mail.co.za>
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2006 11:25:55 +0000
Subject: Dear Sir/Madam


Dear Sir/Madam,
Before I start,I must first Apologise for this unsolicited mail to you.I am aware that this is certainly an unconventional approach to starting a relationship but as time goes on you will realize the need for my action.
I am Mr.Aliyu Mohammed,an Account officer of one of the Banks in Lagos. For reason which will come to light as you read on. I have a very urgent and confidential business proposition for you .
On December 6th 2002,an oil consultant with the Nigerian National Corporation,Mr.Ahmed Youseff Mustapha,a Kuwaiti National,made a numbered time / fixed for 12 Calendar months, valued US$10.5million in my branch.On maturity,we sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.After a month,we sent a reminder and finally his contract employers,the NNPC wrote to inform us that Mr. A.Y Youseff died in an automobile accident while travelling to the eastern part of the Country.
That he died without making a WILL while all attempts to trace his KIN in Kuwait and inform them about Mr.Mustapha's deposit of US10.5million plus accrued interest were fruitless.
Furtherinvestigation revealed that Mr.Youseff was actively opposed to the Government of his country as a result of which he was driven into exile.
Being an oil expert,he subsequently obtained a job with NNPC, and settled in Nigeria. Thereafter,he walked into my office to make the aforementioned deposit of US$10.5million.He did not declare his KIN in his application paperwork.When I asked, he informed me that he wished it so. In the conservative manner of our Bank (my employer),I did not turn down his wish but rather honored it especially given his high net worth.In reality no one knows the source of his money since apparently,the time frame of his employment with the NNPC does indeed preclude such a large amount of money. It is therefore presumed that he brought his money from Kuwait, although this is open to speculation.
The point however is that his employers are not aware of his money, therefore one can safely infer that no one will ever come forward to claim this money.
This fund totaling US10.5M with accrue interest is still siting in my bank dormant account portfolio.
According to Nigerian law, the money will automatically revert to the federal Government Treasury after five years, especially if the account owner is a foreigner who has been certified dead and there is no valid claim. I am thus looking for a foreigner who will stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Youseff. It is not necessary to be a blood relation, neither is it necessary to bear the same surname with Mr. Youseff .It is even not important for the stand in next of kin to be a Kuwaitian national.
Already I have worked out modalities for achieving my aim of appointing a next of kin as well as transfer the money abroad for us to share.
Apparently no risk involved!I will process the initial paperwork to obtain approval from the concern parastatal/department.If you therefore agree to be the INHERITOR/NEXT OF KIN you should provide immediately with every information about yourself.
Once I have the required information as above, I will initiate the processing of the transfer, and in about 10 working days, the fund will be in your nominated bank account for us to share in the ratio of : 70% for me and 30% for you . This transaction is guaranteed to succeed without any problems.
And I shall forward to you more clarification you need and you are free to ask questions .
You're seriously warned to please kindly reply to: ali_mohammed1990@yahoo.com
Looking forward to your urgent reply.
Yours truly,
Mr.Aliyu Mohammed.
N:B
YOU'RE TO NOTE THAT YOUR REPLY SHOULD BE SENT TO MY ALTERNATIVE & PERSONAL E-MAIL ADDRESS WHICH IS : ali_mohammed1990@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam