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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:

• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "diplomatic immunity"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "diplomatic immunity" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "richard stevenson" <richardstevenson24@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: stevenson.richard@voila.fr
Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 16:10:21 +0000
Subject: HELLO FRIEND,

HELLO FRIEND,

I AM DR.RICHARD STEVENSON, A SENIOR STAFF WITH THE
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).I AM WRITING YOU THIS LETTER BECAUSE
COOL PENNY IS BETTER THAN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. IT IS BETTER FOR ONE TO LIVE
AND DIE A POOR HONEST MAN THAN A RICH DISHONEST ONE.I AND THE CHIEFSECURITY
OFFICER (CSO) OF OUR BANK HAVE ARRANGED WITH AN OFFICER IN COMPUTER SECTION
ENGINEER CHUKA ILOH TO BRING OUT PART OF YOUR TOTAL CONTRACT SUM AMOUNTING
TO FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS.

WHY WE DID THIS,IS BECAUSE ACCORDING TO INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE
BANKCOMPUTER, YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME TO RECEIVE YOUR MONEY
WITHOUT SUCCESS. AS I FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAVE ALMOST MET ALL THE STATUTORY
REQUIREMENTS OF THE CBN IN RESPECT OF YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT,YOUR PROBLEM IS
THAT OF INTEREST GROUPS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR PAYMENT AND THOSE
PEOPLEAREMERELY DOING PAPER WORKS WITH YOU AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU RECEIVE
FAXAND PHONE MESSAGES FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE EVERYDAY.ALSO WE FOUND OUT
THAT SOME OF THE OFFICIALS OF THE PARASTATALS HAVE BEEN EXTORTING A LOT OF
MONEY
>FROM YOU WITH THE PRETEXT OF HELPING YOU RECEIVE YOUR MONEY,I CAN ASSURE
YOU THAT THIS MAY LAST FOR YEARS YET NOTHING HAPPENS IF YOU DO NOT DO AWAY
WITH THOSE OFFICERS THAT YOU CALL YOUR PARTNERS.AND FOR SECURITY REASONS DO
NOT
TELL ANYBODY THAT YOU HAVE YOUR MONEY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE CASH AT YOUR
DOORSTEP.

THE MONEY IS IN TWO SECURITY-PROOF BOXES WEIGHING 10KG EACH, THAT IS 20KG
FOR THE TWO BOXES, YESTERDAY WE WENT TO FOUR COURIER COMPANIES TO MAKE
ARRANGEMENTS ON HOW TO SHIP THEM BY COURIER TO YOU. DHL, EMS,FEDEX, ISA ALL
SAID THAT THEY MUST OPEN THE BOXES FOR INSPECTION BY THE CUSTOMS BEFORE
SHIPMENT. THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO AVOID BECAUSE THEBOXES WERE PADDED
WITH MACHINE.

WE TOLD THE COURIER COMPANY THAT THE BOXES CONTAINS PHOTOGRAPHIC AND FILM
MATERIALS AND WHEN OPEN WILL LOOSE ITS EFICACY.WE DID NOT DECLARE MONEY
BECAUSE COURIER DOES NOT CARRYMONEY.TODAY A FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS A DIPLOMAT
DISCLOSED TO ME THAT THERE IS COURIER COMPANY THEY USE TO SEND DIPLOMATIC
MATERIALS AND INFORMATION FROM ONE COUNTRY TO ANOTHER,IT HAS DIPLOMATIC
IMMUNITY AND CANNOT BE INSPECTED BY ANY CUSTOMS ANYWHERE IN THE
WORLD.THE NAME OF THE COURIER SERVICE IS UNION DIPLOMATIC SECURITY
COURIER COMPANY (UDSCC).

I WILL MEET WITH THEM AS SOON AS I HAVE YOUR GO AHEAD ORDER.
THE DIPLOMAT WILL HELP ME SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM. WE HAVE
CONCLUDED THAT YOU MUST COMPENSATE US WITH FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATES DOLLARS AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR MONEY. TO THIS
EFFECT, YOU WILL SEND US A PROMISSORY NOTE FOR FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATES DOLLAR ALONG WITH YOUR ADDRESS FOR SENDING THE BOXES BY COURIER.

PLEASE MAINTAIN TOPMOST SECRECY AS IT MAY CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS IF FOUND
OUT THAT WE ARE USING THIS WAY TO HELP YOU,DO NOT EVER TELL ANYBODY ABOUT
THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR MONEY. I WANT TO HELPYOU BECAUSE SOMETHING IN ME
IS TELLING ME THAT YOU
ARE AN HONEST PERSON.

WHEN YOU CONCLUDE WITH THIS AND YOU SEND OUR PROMISE, WE WILL HELP TO SHIP
PART OF YOUR MONEY TO YOU.

NB: PLEASE REPLY ME THROUGH
MY PRIVATE E-MAIL ADDRESS:
stevenson.richard@voila.fr

GOD IS WITH US AS WE WAIT FOR YOUR REPLY.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR.RICHARD STEVENSON

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam