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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "the consignment " (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 courier" ("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.
  
• 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.
  • +2348062873152 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: PATRICK STROUSE <patrick2004st@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:39:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION


From: Dr patrick strouse
Tele:234-80-628-73152

Dear Sir/Madam

RE: CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION

I am Dr patrick strouse, the immediate resigned senate president of the federal republic of Nigeria, I know you must be surprised at this development, but I chose to tell you the truth because of my sincere wish to treat every man, as I would expect to be treated.


While in office, I witnessed a lot of unpatriotic acts by men of high position in Nigeria concerning the payment of foreign contractors. Several times allocations are mapped for foreign contract payment and a lot of contractors’ payments will be approved but their fund will never be released to them because some group of men on high share the money among themselves and leave the concerned contractors with nothing but continues spending in pursuit of their payment. Payments like this will never reach the hand of the beneficiaries why because they continuously use them as a means to loot funds out of the fault of Central Bank of Nigeria. These same people because of my indiscriminate campaign against their acts accused me of taking bribes of over US$8 Million from contractors. In any case I was forced to resign.

My purpose of writing this letter to you is not to tell you these stories but provide a recovery opportunity to your financial stand. While all these was going on, I sensed it will end like this so I was able to move out the sum of US$14.7million in cash through a friend working with a London cargo company with a branch here. This consignment was registered with the courier company as a diplomatic luggage belonging to you and they are shipping it to your country via London.

Furthermore, the weight of the consignment is 78kg but I managed to pay 40kg, which cost US$8,600.00. On no account should you disclose the content of the crate with the diplomatic courier services for fear of betrayal. So do not allow them to know that the content is money.

In the meantime, contact Mr. James Wan the director (DIPLOMATIC COURIER & CARGO SERVICES U.K) on Tel/fax: 447092868481 or email:in London now or tomorrow to know the actual situation with the consignment and also give them your address where the consignment will be delivered and then get back to me as soon as possible so that I can give you the shipment document and the keys to the consignment.

Meanwhile, I will be coming over to your country immediately the consignment arrives in your country for my 50% of the US$14.7milliom. Awaiting a positive reply from you. Contact them and get back to me or call me on this 234-8-0628-73152.

Thanks you for your anticipated co-operation

Regards,
Dr patrick strouse



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam