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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "mariam abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "maryam abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "sani abacha" (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: "Hajia Maryam Abacha" <mm2bach03@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mm2bach@club-35.com
Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2007 07:45:43 -0600
Subject: Hello, Assalam Malekum

Hello,  
I am sorry for sending an unsolicited mail to you, but i must act wisely and timely now to achieve my desired goal.
I am Hajia Maryam Abacha, wife to the late Nigerian Head of state, General Sani Abacha who died on the 8th of June 1998 while still on active service for our country. I am contacting you with the hope that you will be of great assistance to me. I currently have the sum of $24 million which I intend to use for investment purposes outside Nigeria. The money has been deposited in a security company for some years now with the help of very loyal officials of my late husband. No record is known about this fund by the government because there is no documentation showing that we received such funds.
Before now, the civilian government did engage my family in a show of cheap popularity by branding my husband a "looter of public funds" but the truth is that all Nigerian leaders, (both present and past) cannot claim total innocence to appropriation of public fund.

Due to the current political situation in the country, government attention has been turned towards the 2007 general election results and upon that diversion, i hastened to seek your assistance knowing that the government will never use our family name for popularity sake anymore.
Kindly reply by return mail and please include your personal telephone and fax numbers. You can view these websites for more information.
http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2000/27/swiss.html
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=58627

Your URGENT response is needed.
 
Regards,
Hajia. Mariam Abacha

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam