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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "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)
  • "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "JOHN WEARH" <john_wearh002@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: john_wearh002@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 13:51:14 +0100
Subject: I NEED YOUR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR PARTNERSHIP


DEAREST BELOVED

FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST
CONFIDENCE INTHIS TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY
DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN GENUINE APPROVAL
CONSIDERING THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER BEFORE, I WISH TO
USE
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE
MYSELF TO YOU.
I AM JOHN WEARH A 19 YEARS OLD BOY, FROM LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA. I
WRITE TO INFORM YOU MY DESIRE TO INVEST, AND TO BUY A
LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY.
I AM THE FIRST SON OF MR DAVID WEARH , MY FATHER WAS
A DIAMOND/GOLD MERCHANT IN MY COUNTRY.MY FATHER HAD A
BULLET SHOT BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING OUT OF
MY COUNTRY WITH TWO OF MY YOUNGER SISTER'S DUE TO
PRESENT CRISIS THAT IS OCCURING IN OUR COUNTRY
(LIBERIA).
MY SISTER'S DIED ON THE SPOT WHILE U.N PEACE MAKER,
KEEPING FORCE RESCUED MY FATHER,HE WAS TAKEN TO
HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL. TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED.
BEFORE HE DIED HE REAVEALED TO ME AND MY MOTHER ABOUT THE BOXES
CONTAINING:
85 KILO OF RAW GOLD AND
($27.5,MILLION US DOLLARS).
WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA FOR SAFE KEEPING
AND
UNWARD TRANSFER. MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY OF THE
CONTENT OF THE BOXES TO THE SECURITY COMPANY.
TO AVIOD THE OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYE BROWS TO THE
FUNDS. PRESENTLY MY MOTHER AND MYSELF ARE HERE IN GHANA TO NOTIFY THE SECURITY COMPANY FOR THE CLAIMS,
AND WE ARE STAYING IN THE REFUGEE CAMP.
THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS
MONEY,
BECAUSE MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY
IN
AFRICA TO AVIOD SUSPICIONS, AND DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED
WITH
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES, THAT IS
WHY WE
WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD. FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MY MOTHER AND
MYSELF
HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 25% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE MONEY.
WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT
AND THEOWNERSHIP WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU THROUGH FAX
ON REQUEST.
NOTE:
I HAVE NEVER DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY PERSON APART
FROM YOU,SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS A TOP
SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE.WHICH I WILL WANT YOU TO
FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR DIRECTTEL/FAX NUMBER FOR
MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.
I AM WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT AND POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
BEST REGARDS,
JOHN WEARH

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam