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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "hundred thousand u.s 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)
  • "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • elizabeth_kojo@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: elizabeth kojo <elizabeth_kojo000019@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: <elizabeth_kojo@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 06:48:07 +0000
Subject: VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE!!!!




Dear Sir/Madam,

I believe this email message will meet you in a good condition of health.

My name is ( Elizabeth Kojo, from Liberia, West Africa. I write to inform you of my desire to invest, and to buy a living house in your country.

I am the first CHILD of Mr. PATRICK Kojo; my father was a diamond/gold Merchant in my country. My father had a bullet shot by the rebels on his way traveling out of my country with two of my younger brother's due to the present crisis that is occurring in our country (Liberia).

My brother's died on the spot while the UN peacemaker, keeping force rescued my father, and he was taken to hospital for medical treatment, of which he later died.

Before he died he revealed to my mother and I about the two silver metallic boxes containing: 200kilogram of au gold dust and $25.5 million, (Twenty five million and five hundred thousand U.S dollars), which he deposited with a security company here in Ghana for safekeeping. My father did not disclose the content of the boxes to the security company to avoid the officials from raising eyebrows to the funds.

Presently my mother and I are here in Ghana to notify the security company for the claims, we are here as refugees. Therefore I want you to come down here in Ghana and be our beneficiary to this funds and withdraw this funds out from the security company as the direct beneficiary of this consignment and also direct 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 avoid suspicions, and due to market instability coupled with economic and political instability facing African countries rise, that is why we want to invest in Abroad.

For your mutual assistance, my mother and I have agreed to offer you 25% of the total amount of the money. We have all the vital documents covering the deposit and the ownership, which I can send to you through fax on request. Note: I will like you to keep this as confidential as ever as you forward to me your fax and phone or mobile numbers for easy Communications. this is my priate id elizabeth_kojo@yahoo.com

Waiting for your urgent response.

Best regards,
Miss elizabeth Kojo For the entire family.





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam