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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:

• 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:
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • shibu_rimi@walla.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: shaibu rimi <shbrimi12@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <shibu_rimi@walla.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 04:12:09 +0100
Subject: FROM: ALHAJI SHAIBU RIMI



FROM: ALHAJI SHAIBU RIMI

Dear Sir

I am ALHAJI SHAIBU RIMI, the Administrative officer of the Consignment/Treasury Department of a Security and Finance Company having offshore payment centers all over the world. Recently, we discovered a dormant account with a substantial amount of money valued at Forty Five Million United States Dollars (US$45,000,000.00) that belongs to one of our numerous customers who died in a motor accident in November 2001.

During the period of our investigation, we discovered that the deceased died along with his only son and wife, leaving no WILL and nobody behind to come for the claim as next of kin. The policy guidelines/law of our firm stipulates that if such consignment remains unclaimed for Seven years, it will be forfeited to the firm's treasury as an unclaimed as a Nigerian, I cannot stand as the next of kin to a foreigner.

It is upon this discovery that I as head of this department decided to contact you to collaborate with me to pull out this dormant consignment. I am going to give you 30% of the total fund if this proposal meets your interest. Urgently, reach me through the above stated e-mail to enable me give you the full details for this transaction and how it is going to work out. Also include your personal telephone and fax number for easy communication.

What I want from you is to act as the deceased's next of kin. I have in my possession (alone) all necessary documents to successfully accomplish this business. However, it will require that you shall be physically present in any of our centers to pull out this fund for onward transmission into your bank account. The next of kin must be present in Lagos, Nigeria or any of our offshore payment centers to sign out these funds, which take a maximum of three (3) working days to conclude further information will be given to you as soon as I receive your positive response via email.

Anticipate your urgent reply.

Regards,

ALHAJI SHAIBU RIMI
Please reply to this email: shibu_rimi@walla.com
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam