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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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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "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)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "keep this confidential" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "liberia" (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: "PHILIP KELLY" <philipk_121@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 10:03:05 +0100
Subject: CHARITY

Greetings in the name of the Lord,


I am Philip Kelly The younger brother of late Bishop John Kelly of
Liberia.You may wonder how I got your contact; it is by the grace of God. I do
not want to go into details of how I got to know you. Before I contacted
you, I fasted and prayed over it. It was through God guidance I was able to
contact you.


Right now as I am writing to you I am in hiding because of the past and
present leaders of Liberia haunting for my life. They pushed away
through my brother late Bishop John Kelly about 350kg of gold and $50m (Fifty
million United States Dollars) cash, which he kept in a security, cave in
Ghana. So my dear please I will be glad if you can help me.

I would happy if you can go and claim the gold dust and the 50 million
UD$ distribute the proceeds to charity and the less privileged. Please keep
this confidential. If you are not interested no problem but if you are
interested please send me an email soonest.


I would then direct you to a consultant who would assist you with the
security code that I am going to give you. Please do furnish me with
your telephone numbers so that I can be able to talk to you and give you
more details. I am waiting for your urgent response.


God bless you.


Philip Kelly

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam