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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "abuja" (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.
  • barr_azumike@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: azu mike <azu_mike026@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <barrister_azumike99@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 10:34:03 +0100
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER AZU MIKE



FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER AZU MIKE44, KOFO ABAYOMI AVENUE,VICTORIA ISLAND,LAGOS - NIGERIA.Dear Sir/Madam,I am Barrister Azu Mike, a Solicitor. I am the Personal Attorney to Mr.Steve, who used to work with Chevron Oil Development Company in Nigeria. On the 21st of April, 2001,My Client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident along Abuja Express Road. Unfortunately, they all lost their lives in the event of the accident.Since then I have made several enquiries to the Embassy to locate any of my client Relatives but this has proved unsuccessful.After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet to locate any member of his family but to no avail, hence,I contacted you to assist in claiming the fund deposited in a long-term fixed depsoit account in United Bank here in Nigeria. Consequently, the management of the united bankhas just issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin to claim the US$15 Million (Fifteen Million United States Dollars only) in their custody within the next fourteen official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 5 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased to claim the fund as the Next of Kin to him so that the fund will be transferred to your account by the Bank.Upon receipt of the fund in your account,I will come over to your country to meet with you for the disbursement of the fund and then you and I will share the money in this order: 55% will be for me, 40% will be for you, while 5% will be used on expenses incurred.I have all the necessary legal documents that can back our claim we may make with the Bank.All I require is your honest co-operation 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 secured and confidential email address at ( barr_azumike@yahoo.com) to enable me clarify you further.Best regards .Barrister Azu Mike(Esq)
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam