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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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 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)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • +2348067296460 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • alfredwilliams07@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Alfred Williams" <alfredwilliams07@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: alfredwilliams08@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 01:43:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Alert: Lawrence Lessig


Dr. Alfred Williams,(PHD OAU)
Chattered Accountant,
Omega Trust Bank (Nig) PLC
92/94 Adeniyi Jones Avenue
Suite 80 Ikeja Lagos.
Tel:+234-8067296460
E-mail: alfredwilliams07@yahoo.com

Alert: Lawrence Lessig

I am an accountant with OMEGA TRUST BANK NIG. PLC; my name is Dr. Alfred Williams a Banker. I am the Accounts Manager to Engr(Chris Lessig) a National of your country,who is a contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.

On January 30, 2000 , my client, his wife, and three children were
involved in the Kenya airways flight with registration number 5Y-BEN which
departed from Nairobi to destination Lagos and they all died in this fatal air
crash On January 30,Since then I have made several inquiries 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
nationals over the Internet, to locate any person from his country hence I
contacted you.I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and
property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged,
particularly the OMEGA TRUST BANK NIG. PLC. Where the deceased had an account Valued at($6.8 million U.S Dollars) has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin. Or have the account confiscated within the next fifteen official
working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2
years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the
deceased since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account valued at ($6.8 million US Dollars) can be paid to you and then you and
me Can share the money.45% to me and 45% to you and 5% for any charity
organization in your country. While 5% for unforeseen bottlenecks we
might incure in this transaction an attorney will be contracted to help us
revalidate and notarize all the necessary legal documents that can be
used to back up any claim we may make.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal
through.I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you and me from any breach of the law.

Your's Sincerely,

Dr Alfred Williams.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam