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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:
  • "huge amount of money" (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)
  • "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: "Usman Ebel" <usebel3@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: usmanebel@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2006 16:38:44 +0100
Subject: Happy Weekend From Usman!!

Dear Sir,
Good day to you, I hope fine, dear am writing this mail with due respect and heartful of tears since we have not known or met ourselves previously I am asking for your assistance,i have gone through your profile and will be very glad if you can render me assistance to my situation now.
I will make my proposal well known if I am given the opportunity. I would like to use this opportunity to introduce myself to you. I am Usman Ebel, A 24 years old boy from Liberia, the Son of Late Chief Dr.Ali Ebel, the deputy minister of national security under the leadership of president Charles Taylor of Liberia who is now in exile after many innocent soul were killed.
My father was killed by the government of Charles Taylor, he accuse my father of coup attempt and after a month my mother Chief Mrs. Cynthia Ebel, was also killed. The main reason why I am contacting you now is to seek for your assistance in the area of my future investment and also i want to hand over some huge amount of money to you.
This money is Five million Two Hundred Thousand US Dollars which was deposited some years ago by my father he made me the sole beneficiary/next of kin to the money. I am now asking you to stand on my behalf to make this claim for the finance company, I am a small boy and too young in age i can't handle this can of transaction alone, i want you to stand as my foreign partner oversea and also to help me investment the money. I will give you details about the deposit as you respond to my request.
I have all original copy of the documents concerning this money with me here, So please am expecting to hear from you soon.
Yours Truly,
Usman Ebel

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam