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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:

• 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)
  • "million 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "nigeria national petroleum corporation" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • gbarr.jemartins@yahoo.com.hk
  • barr.jmartins@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?big5?q?Martins=20James?= <barr.jemartins@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: barr.jmartins@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:24:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Barrister James Martins


§Ú¦³·sªº¹q¶l¦a§}¡I§A²{¥i¹q¶lµ¹§Ú¡Gbarr.jemartins@yahoo.com.hk



- Dear Friend, I am Barrister James Martins the Personal Attorney and legal adviser to Mr. Graham,a foreigner resident here in Nigeria, he is an oil consultant/contractor with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).On The 21st of April 2003, my client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident along Sagbama Express Road.All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Before he died, he did a contract of US$20,000,000 (Twenty million Dollars) which is yet to be paid before his death. And i have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the world trade directory, to locate any member of his family but to no avail, hence I contacted you. My contact to you is to assist me in claiming the money left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Particularly, Central Bank of Nigeria has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin to my client, Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives, so pls I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of my late client. All I require is to be trusthworthy to me that when you get all the money in your care that you won't go away with it,And moreso your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through, I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. As i'll prepare all the necesary document in your name as the beneficiary to my late client and I will send you his company document and Contract Certificates. Please indicate your full interest and willingness to receive the fund by sending to me your direct telephone and fax numbers for easy Communication, your full name and address are also needed. Please reply me thru this email barr.jmartins@gmail.com for any question and more detials or for your urgent respond. Hope to hear from you soon. Best regards, Barrister James Martins

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam