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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:
  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)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • +2348068965047 (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.
  • dr_edwardagyeman@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Edward Agyeman" <edwardagyeman18@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: dr_edwardagyeman@myway.com
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2007 18:30:43 +0000
Subject: Financial Project

FROM THE DESK OF: DR EDWARD AGYEMAN
BRANCH MANAGER WITH CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC
HEAD OFFICE 11 B AKIN ADESOLA STREET
VICTORIA ISLAND. LAGOS NIGERIA.
TEL: +234-806-896-5047
Email: dr_edwardagyeman@myway.com
 
Dear Sir/Madam,
 
I am Dr. Edward Agyeman, Branch Manager with CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC (C.I.B) I am writing this letter to ask for your support and cooperation to carry out this business opportunity in my department. We discovered an abandoned sum of ($25.5 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customer late Engr. David who died On April 21/ 2002 my client, his wife, and their three children were involved in a car accident along Lagos/Ibadan express way all occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives in the process of the accident. Since we heard of his death, we have been expecting his next-of-kin to come over and put claims for his money as the heir, because we cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of- kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.
 
Unfortunately, neither their family member nor distant relative has ever appeared to claim the said fund. Upon this discovery, I and other officials in my department have agreed to make business with you and release the total amount into your account as the heir of the fund since no one came for it or discovered his maintained account with our bank, otherwise the fund will be returned to the banks treasury as unclaimed fund. We have agreed that our ratio of sharing will be as stated thus; 30 % for you as foreign partner, 65 % for us the officials in my department and 5% for the settlement of all local and foreign expenses incurred during the course of this business.
 
Upon the successful completion of this transfer, I and one of my colleagues will come to your country and mind our share. It is from our 65% we intend to import Agricultural Machineries into my country as a way of recycling the fund. To commence this transaction, we require you to immediately indicate your interest by a return e-mail and enclose your private contact telephone number, fax number full name and address to enable us file letter of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary approvals before the transfer can be  made.
 
Note also, this transaction must be kept STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL because of its nature.
I look forward to receiving your prompt response.
 
Please do acknowledge the receipt of my private email address: dr_edwardagyeman@myway.com
 
Thanks
Dr. Edward Agyeman (C.I.B)

 

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam