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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!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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.

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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:
  • "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)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • +2348024290845 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Frank Williams" <frank999@mailbox.hu>
Reply-To: officemail_frank@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 04:52:29 -0600
Subject: Attention:Beneficiary,very urgent.


Attention:Beneficiary,

This is to bring to your humble notice that we have received an application
from one Mr Aaron Smith from Germany to have your consignment delivered to
him.when we asked he informed us that you are his partner and that you have
given him the power of Attorney to go on with the claiming of the
consignment.we have to inform you of this development so that we can be rest
assured that you have this information because the diplomat who handed this
consignment to us for your delivery did not tell us anything about the
German asking for the delivery to him.we got this consignment as a result of
the lack of delivery power from the former company.now we have the franchise
to make delivery of the consignment.

We shall require you to confirm the receipt of this email and indicate if
you ask Mr Aaron Smith to get the consignment for you.also we shall need you
to also reconfirm your full details as contained in the file we have. you
are requested to give us the below informations:

Your Full Names
Your Contact address(Home/Office)
Your Mobile
Your Telephone number

As soon as we get the above detail we shall make the delivery when you meet
the requirements for delivery because our delivery agent is already on
standby for delivery.

For more detail about your consignment,call +234 802 429 0845

Sincerely,

Mr Frank Williams.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam