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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:

• 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)
  • "transfer into your account" (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 us 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)
  • "confidentiality of this transaction" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • wanbufa01@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "ogachuba" <ogachuba@terra.com.mx>
Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2006 21:28:59 -0600
Subject: GREETINGS



Dear Sir/Madam,
>From the personal desk of Dr. (Chief) Bufa Chuba,
The Financial Director,
Federal Ministry of Agriculture (FMA) Plot 1020 Akintola Animashaun Way Garki Area 2 Abuja FCT.
Dear Sir,
It is with trust, sincerity and confidence in my heart that i write to you and make this urgent business proposal to you.
I was assigned by two of my colleague to seek for a foreign partner who will assist us in providing a convenient foreign account in any designated bank oversea for the transfer of us$7,000,000,00 (SEVEN MILLION US DOLLARS ONLY) pending on our arrival in your country for utilization and disbursement with the owner of the account. This amount resulted as a deliberate inflation on the value of the contract awarded by our ministry- The federal Ministry of Agriculture (FMA) to an expatriate company. The contract has long been executed and payment made to the original contractor remaining the over invoice of us$7, 000, 000,00 (SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS) which we want to transfer out of the country in our favor for disbursement amount ourselves.
The transfer of this money can only be possible with the help of a foreigner who is trustful and sincere and would be presented as the beneficiary of the fund. As government officials we are not allowed to operate foreign accounts and this is the basic reason why we decided to contact you.
We have agreed that if you /company can act as the beneficiary of these funds it would immediately be transfer into your account and you will retain %15 of the total sum for your assistance %5 for expenses while %80 will be reserved for us in your choice account over there. We whereby solicit for your kind assistance in providing a convenient account number in a designated bank abroad where this funds will be transferred immediately. We also intend to come over there on the completion of this transfer to secure our own share of the money.
Please NOTE that we have been careful and had made all arrangement towards the success and smooth transfer of the funds to your account contacting you.
For security reasons, and confidentiality of this transaction we demand that you on no account exposed this proposal and the entire transaction to anybody we are putting so much trust and confident in you hoping that you will not betray us or seat on this money when it finally transferred in to your account be rest assured that this transaction is %100 risk free. If this business proposal is accepted by you, send to us your fax number, bank name and address and contact number.
NOTE: More details of this transaction will be given to you immediately we received a positive respond from you. email wanbufa01@myway.com
Yours Sincerely,
Dr. (Chief) Wanbufa Chuba

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam