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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: idrislawal@comcast.net (Dr Idris Lawal)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:50:37 +0000
Subject: Please Do Reply,I really Need Your Help

This letter may come to you as a surprise,
Please of do note that this is not a scam.As I do not beleive in such act.All you need to know i will tell you.
I am Dr.Idris Lawal a top Government Official with a statutory Corporation and member of an ad-hoc committee set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria to review contract awarded by the immediate past administration. In the course of scrutiny we discovered that there was a grossly over invoiced contract amounting to US$41.5M (Forty One Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) already approved for payment in favour of an Eastern European company that used to act as crony to former Governor of Bayelsa State (An Oil Rich State from the Southern part of Nigeria), Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who has just been imprisoned on a six count charge of 12 years each for corruption. This story can be verified through the following links thus below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6920561.stm
http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jul/27/399.html
http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article05
During his trial, all his cronies hurriedly ran out of the country for fear of being arrested and prosecuted, unknowing to them that the above amount has being approved by the department of petroleum & Natural Resources. Having regularized and cleaned the "AUGEAN STABLE" we intend to transfer this amount of US$41.5M presently floating in our Apex Vote in for our own benefit and advantage.
Bear in mind that no risk is attached to this project and all logistic are in place and modalities.
We have decided to compensate you with 20% of the total sum for your support, 70% for us, while 10% for miscellaneous expenses (Local and International). Please do provide me with your confidential phone number to enable me contact you for further discussion and clarification on this matter, in the hope that this proposal will be acceptable to you.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Best Regard,

Dr.Idris Lawal.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam