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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "contact me immediately" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: gani@ganifirm01.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 01:56:47 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Good Day and Contact Me Immediately.


FROM THE DESK OF GANNI BELLO Ref: xlx/7u6y/ngn07
GANBELLO LAW CHAMBERS
LEGAL SOLICITORS/PRIVATE LAWYER
23 AKPAMBGO STREET
LAGOS-NIGERIA.
E-mail: ganifirmng@earthlink.net
Dear Friend,
Permit me to use this medium to congratulate you as your name and e-mail address came up in a random selection conducted by our Law Firm, G.Bello Law Chambers in Lagos,Nigeria.
My name is GANNI.F.BELLO (San.). A personal attorney to our late Client Mr. James Harrison who worked for an oil firm here in Nigeria. Mr. James Harrison a well-known Philanthropist before he died made a Will in our law Firm stating that $3.5M (three point five million U.S. dollars only) should be donated to any Philanthropist of our choice overseas for the purpose of donating to orphanages and Less privileged around the world.
Since we did not know who exactly to make the beneficiary to the said will and how to go about it, we have made a random selection and your e-mail address was picked as the beneficiary to this Will. I am particularly interested in securing this money from the Bank, because they have issued a notice instructing us to produce the beneficiary of this will within two weeks that happens to be you or else the money will be credited to the Government treasury as per law here.
It is my utmost desire to execute the Will of our late client and to this end; you are required to contact me immediately to start the process of transferring this money to any of your designated official account. I urge you to contact me immediately for further details bearing in mind that the Bank has given us a date limit.
Please respond as soon as possible by contacting me via Email address as follows: ganifirmng@earthlink.net
Congratulations,
Sanni Ahmed Esq
ff: Barr, Ganni Bello (San.).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam