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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • omena_james@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Omena James <omenajames@easymail.hu>
Date: Sat, 04 Aug 2007 11:52:14 +0200
Subject: DEAR FRIEND

Dear Friend,

FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS
TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN

GENUINE APPROVAL CONSIDERING THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER
BEFORE,

I WISH TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU. I AM OMENA
JAMES. FROM NIGERIA,WEST AFRICA.

I WRITE TO INFORM YOU MY DESIRE TO INVEST,AND TO
BUY A LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY. I AM THE FIRST DAUGHTER OF MR. WEAH
JAMES ,

HE WAS A CRUDE OIL MERCHANT IN MY COUNTRY.MY FATHER HAD A BULLET SHOT
 BY
THE MILITANT YOUTH IN NIGER DELTA, ON HIS WAY TO VISIT HIS OIL
INSTALATIONS WITH TWO OF MY YOUNGER SISTERS DUE TO PRESENT CRISIS THAT
 IS OCCURING IN MY COUNTR(NIGERIA).

MY SISTERS DIED ONTHE SPOT WHILE NIGERIAN ARMY RESCUED MY FATHER,HE WAS
TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED. BEFORE HE
DIED HE REAVEALED TO ME AND MY MOTHER ABOUT THE BOXES CONTAINING
$38MILLION us DOLLARS.WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN
 GHANA FOR SAFE KEEPING.

MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE CONTENT OF THE BOXES TO THE
SECURITYCOMPANY.TO AVIOD THE OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYE BROWS TO THE
FUNDS.PRESENTLY MYSELF AND MY MOTHER ARE HERE IN GHANA TO NOTIFY THE
SECURITY COMPANY FOR THE CLAIMS,AND WE ARE STAYING IN THE HOTEL.THEREFORE I WANT YOU To
LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY

BECAUSE MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN
NIGERIA TO AVIOD SUSPICIONS,AND DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES,THAT IS WHY
 WE WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD. FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MYSELF AND MY
 MOTHER HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 20%OF THE MONEY.

WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT AND THE OWNERSHIP
WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU THROUGH FAX ON REQUEST. NOTE:I HAVE NEVER
DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY PERSON APART FROM YOU,SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS
TRANSACTION AS A TOP SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE.

WHICH I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR DIRECT TEL/FAX
 NUMBER
FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION. PLEASE YOU CAN GET ME
THIS EMAIL : ( omena_james@yahoo.co.uk )

BEST REGARDS,
OMENA JAMES

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam