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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
  (+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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "mariam abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • maribacha04@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mariam Abacha <maribacha04@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: dr_abacha_mariam@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:45:29 -0800 (PST)
Subject: I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: maribacha04@yahoo.com



- 14 NOVEMBER 2008 ATTENTION: I am delighted to write this letter to you hoping that you will understand my predicament and answer back without hesitation. I am MRS.MARIAM ABACHA wife of the late Nigerian Head of State GENERAL SANI ABACHA. I got your contact through business inquires from the chamber or commerce as I was making contact for a Honest foreigner who will help save my life and my children, hence our country has been frustrating to us since the death of my husband. I am in possession of $35,000.000 (THIRTY FIVE MILLION U.S DOLLARS) which I want to invest in your country. For your clarification and understanding, this money is in a truck box which was deposited with a security company indisguise as a family treasure DIAMOND AND GOLD since 5th of May 1999. it is not an ill gotten wealth rather it was WILLED to me by my late husband. On your acceptance to render this assistance to me, I will instruct the security company to effect the change of ownership of this fund to your name as the bona-fide owner/my next of kin to enable you retrieve the fund since the box can not be moved out of our country by the family's name. It is very important that you forward to me your full name ,your private telephone and fax numbers/occupation,to enable me send all relevant documents pertaining the deposit of this fund to you. Bear in mind that this transaction demands absolute confidentiality because all properties,assets and bank accounts both local and international bearing the ABACHA'S family name, are been confiscated by the Already elected civilian President of Nigeria so called (President Olusegun Obasanjo and the present president umaru musa yaradua) hence I will not want to be exposed this is to aviod losing the money. For your knowledge, 30% of this fund $35,000.000 (THIRTY FIVE MILLION U.S DOLLARS) will be given to secure this fund and another 10% has set aside for all the expenses we might incur during the process of securing this fund. Example: TELEPHONE/FAX BILLS and any other miscellaneous expenses. And bear in mind that this is the only remaining fund for the survival of my family. Nevertheless if you are in any reason not intrested in this proposal kindly inform me so that i will start to look for another reliable contact. Thanks as I wait for your immediate response.MARIAM ABACHA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam