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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:
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • barrsteve_williams@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "BARRISTER STEVE WILLIAMS" <barrstevewilliams75@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: barrstevewilliams@myway.com
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2007 09:58:04 -0900
Subject: MY DEAR HAM I NEED YOUR RESPONSE

FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER STEVE WILLIAMS
& CO (LEGAL PRACTITIONERS) ESQ.
LLB,LLM,BL,SAN
SENIOR ADVOCATE, INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PRACTITIONER
WILLIAM'S CHAMBERS & FINANCIAL ATTORNEY
#16 AKINTOLA WILLIAM STR.IKEJA LAGOS-NIGERIA
EMAIL: barrsteve_williams@myway.com

 

ATTN: HAM,

 

I AM A LAWYER. I AM THE PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO LATE MR.KENNETH HAM, A NATIONAL OF YOUR COUNTRY, WHO USED TO WORK AS A CONTRACTOR WITH CRYSTAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INC.,HEREIN AFTER SHALL BE REFERRED TO AS MY CLIENT.
 
ON THE 21ST OF APRIL 2002, MY CLIENT, HIS WIFE AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ALONG SAGAMU EXPRESS ROAD. ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE UNFORTUNATELY LOST THEIR LIVES. SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE SEVERAL ENQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENTS EXTENDED RELATIVES AND THIS HAS ALSO PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL. AFTER THESE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY, HENCE I CONTACTED YOU.

 

I AM CONTACTING YOU TO ASSIST IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT BEHIND BY MY CLIENT BEFORE THEY GET CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY THE FINANCIAL FIRM WHERE THIS HUGE DEPOSIT WERE LODGED. PARTICULARLY, THE FINANCIAL FIRM WHERE THE DECEASED DEPOSITED THE VALUED ABOVE USD10,000,000.00 HAS ISSUED ME A NOTICE TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF KIN OR HAVE THE ACCOUNT CONFISCATED AND THE FUNDS RETURNED TO THE GOVERNMENT.
 
SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE RELATIVES FOR OVER TWO 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 ABOVE USD10,000,000.00 CAN BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN YOU AND I CAN SHARE THE MONEY, 60% TO ME AND 40% TO YOU. I HAVE 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 FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW.
PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME BY MY E-MAIL ADDRESS AND SEND TO ME YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS TO ENABLE US DISCUSS FURTHER ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.I EXPECT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE INDICATING YOUR FULL INTEREST IN THIS GREAT BUSINESS TO OUR BOTH MUTUAL TRUST.
 
YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER WILL BE NEEDED FOR OUR EASY
COMMUNICATION.
 
PLAESE WRITE BACK THROUGH MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS
(barrsteve_williams@myway.com)

 

BEST REGARDS,

 

BARRISTER  STEVE WILLIAMS.

 

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam