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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "transfer into your account" (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 us 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)
  • "former president of liberia" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • agnes_taylor@mail.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "agnesreeves_taylor" <agnesreeves_taylor@terra.com.mx>
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 14:05:21 -0600
Subject: Dear Chosen partner


Dear Chosen partner

I know this letter may come to you as a surprise since we have no previous contacts. Moreover, the present world is full of dishonest and distrust. Before I proceed, may I introduce myself, I am MRS.Agnes Reeves Talor, a Liberian and wife of former President of Liberia Mr.Charles Taylor.
I elate to inform you that I inherited a total sum of $8 million Us dollars (Eight million us dollars) from my husband Mr.Charles taylor who is now faceing 17 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over his alleged role in the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone where he is accused of backing rebels
Please you can go through this website to have more details on what am talking about ;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4856120.stm
http://www.nndb.com/people/479/000026401/
http://worldnews.about.com/od/liberia/p/charles_taylor.htm

I am presently taking refuge here in Benin Republic seeking for your assistance to transfer these fund to your account.
Your assistance is now sought in assisting me in transfering these money to you account in your country for investment into any lucrative business of your choice.By this mail, you are requested to get back to me for familiarisation and to enable us arrange on how to get these fund transfer into your account in your country after which I will come over to your country.

For rendering this service, you will be highly compensated, a situation that will be discussed later. I want you to take this transaction very serious because it will benefit you.I will later tell you why I reposed this trust and confidence in you, a person I have not met before.
Please while replying do not forget to include your direct telephone number for easier and good communication
Looking forward to your reply through this my private
email: agnes_taylor@mail.ru

Sincerely yours,
Mrs.Agnes Reeves Taylor

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam