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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:
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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:
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • barrcyrilthomas@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Cyril Thomas" <cyrilaw2007@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: barrcyrilthomas@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2007 09:07:09 +0100
Subject: My Dear Good Friend,

My Dear Good Friend,
 
I know you may be surprise to receive this information, however; I wish to introduce you to a business deal which will be beneficial to both of us,
and which has to be kept confidential.

My name is Barrister Cyril Thomas, an international Lawyer base here in Nigeria. I wish to seek for your consent to present you as the next of kin to my late client since you are from the same country.
 
Is about a national of your country who died early last year with the wife and two children leaving behind a huge sum of United State Dollars, but did not appoint any next of kin to the bank.With your assistance and my professional advise we would get access to this fund, meanwhile, I have agreed to give you 30% upon using you as the next of kin to my late client.
 
I look forward to your positive response and would like you to contact me immediately for further discussion through this my yahoo private email
address; barrcyrilthomas@yahoo.co.uk
 
Send along your telephone number so that I can call you for further informations and mode of execution.
 
Best Regards.
 
Barr.Cyril Thomas

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam