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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)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "the consignment" (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)
  • "consignment " (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)
  • "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)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "lagos" (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.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447045784360 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +2348025899724 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "John Clooney IMF London"<johnclooney_imf@imf.org>
Reply-To: <imfcexec6@live.com>
Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 19:11:39 +0100
Subject: Top Secret: Abandoned Consignment to be shared

Hello Sir/Ma,

>From one of the members of the Board and Management of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC)", a subsidiary of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the name is John Clooney, I am the Operations Manager of the London office and I wish to inform you that a Consignment/fund tagged diplomatic lugagge 122 with Ref:No1226/X42/206 which was deposited in our vault for safe keeping upon an estimated time of delivery and transported to Lagos Nigeria has been ignored till now.

Facts remain that the Consignment contains the sum of $2.5 million dollars in cash. What I am trying to do is invite you on a possible opportunity for us both to benefit greatly from keeping the Consignment to ourselves. I am unable to secure the funds from London here but with your involvement, the Consignment will leave from Nigeria and get to you in your Country before we split the amount within.

Let me inform you before hand, it will definately cost money to execute a transaction of this magnitude, whatever it will cost to execute this project should rest on both parties resources, in this case you and I.

Meanwhile, I will take care of the cost of shipment and delivery charges and you shall be liable for the ticket fees of the diplomat that will accompany the consignment/funds to your country and your home.

I sincerely hope you understand all that is stated for us to save time because I cannot just sit while there is $2.5 Million in the possession of the shipping company and they don't even know it.

Don't be confused, nothing in life comes easy, the end justifies the means and there is no success without some form of risk involved. Your involvement into this will determine your percentage from the total funds.

Be informed that I will conclude all arrangements to ship and deliver your Consignment directly to your doorstep through diplomatic means.

The shipping company will give you confirmation of this. To this effect therefore, kindly furnish me with a copy of your international passport or any other means of identification as the true Consignee and your designated address where the package is to be delivered.

You can reach me directly on +447045784360 for direct communication as I may have some room to reach you now due to security reason, I would implore you to let me have your own number as well if you agree to this great opportunity. I trust only one person in Nigeria by the name Jay Olajuwon, you can call him to verify all that I have stated. His number is +2348025899724.

Contact me privately on my email address imfcexec6@live.com. Take note of the code word "TOP SECRET" used with my subject, DO NOT RESPOND TO ANY EMAILS WITHOUT THIS AS THE INTERNET IS NO LONGER SAFE TO COMMUNICATE.

I wait to hear from you urgently.

Sincerely,

John Clooney
Head Operations
IMFC Regional Office
2 Dean Stanley Street
London-UK

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam