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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (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 send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
  • "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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • mrmikeokoro2@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Okoro M"<mrmikeokoro3@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <mrmikeokoro1@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:40:58 +0100
Subject: Thanks For Reading

Dear Friend

 

I am sorry for the embarrassment this mail may cause you, as we have not

 

met before. I am mike okoro, a solicitor at law, I am the personal

 

attorney to Engineer Frank Edward, a national of your country, who used

 

to work with Shell Development Company in Nigeria, hereinafter referred

 

to as my client. On the 21st of April 2005, my client, his wife and their

 

children were involved in a car accident along Kano - Sokoto express Road

 

while arriving from Easter Holiday to Warri Delta State. All occupants of

 

the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made

 

several enquiries to your Embassy to locate any of my client's extended

 

relatives but this has proved unsuccessful.

 

I came across your name and contact, while I was searching for Frank's

 

relations. Since my search was unsuccessful, I decided to contact you for

 

this project. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and

 

properties left behind by my client before they get confiscated or

 

declared unserviceable by the Bank here where these funds were deposited.

 

Particularly, the total amount is 12 Million United States Dollars, last

 

year issued me a 12months notice to provide the Next of Kin or have the

 

fund confiscated, and this ultimatum expires by next month.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over two

 

years now, I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin of the

 

deceased since you have the same nationality so that the proceed of this

 

deposit of USD12 Million can be released to you and then you and I can

 

share the money, 60% for me 30% for you, and the remaining 10% will be

 

for expenses and tax. He made the money in one of the Oil deals he had

 

with our Oil Minister. I also have all necessary legal documents that can

 

be used to back up any claim we may make.

 

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this

business through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a

 

legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

 

Get back to me as soon as possible at my private E-mail addresS below

 

mrmikeokoro@live.com

mrmikeokoro2@hotmail.com

 

Regards,

MIKE OKORO.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam