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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)
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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)
  • "million 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Dagmar Thomas" <unitednationscountryoffice019@gmail.com>
Reply-To: unitednationscountryoffice@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:42:21 -0700
Subject: To whom it may concern.


*United Nations House
Plot 617/618, Central Area District, Abuja
P.M.B 2851 Garki Abuja, Nigeria.
*

*Ref: UN/2008-CO1.*

**

*To whom it may concern.*



Dear Sir/Madam,



This email is to inform all the people that have been scammed in any part of
the world that the United Nations has reached a resolution to compensate
them with the sum of US$500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million United States
Dollars). This includes every foreign contractors that may have not received
their contract sum, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or
international business that failed due to Government problems.



We are happy to inform you that an arrangement has perfectly been concluded
to compensate you as soon as possible in our bid to be transparent. However,
it is our pleasure to inform you that an ATM Card Number: 5490 9957 6302
4525 has been approved and upgraded in your favor. Meanwhile, your secret
Pin Number will be available as soon as you confirm to us the receipt of
your ATM Card.



The ATM Card Value is $1,500,000 USD only. You are advised that a maximum
withdrawal value of US$10,000.00 is permitted daily. And we are duly
inter-switched and you can make withdrawal in any location of an ATM Center
of your choice/nearest to you any where in the world.



Please feel free to contact us via email for more information.



Yours faithfully,



Mrs. Dagmar Thomas.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam