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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "trunk box" (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)
  • "trunk boxes" (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)
  • "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (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.
  • elizebeth_dona2@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "john mugu" <johnmugu1@gala.net>
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 15:50:27 +0100
Subject: From.Mrs.Elizebeth Dona John Mugu, please help me


CREDIT TRANSFER AND INVESTMENT
Email:( elizebeth_dona2@yahoo.fr )

Dear Friend,

Permit me to inform you of my desire to do business with you with my money.I
am a 42 years old business woman from Siera-Leone in west Africa.I am glad
to inform you that I inherited a total sum of $11.1 million US dollars
(eleven million one hundred thousand USD) from my late husband Chief John
Mugu, a gold and diamond dealer who was murdered early last year by the
former Liberian president Mr Charles Taylor over the dispute in their
diamond and gold deal.

This money which is concealled in 2 trunk boxes is deposited in a safe
deposit company here in Cotonou, Republic of Benin where I am presently
taking refuge with my two kids.The content of the 2 boxes was declared as
family treasure not money for security reasons.That is to say that the
deposit company does not know that the suitcase contain money.This was done
under a high powered government conection because the former president of
this country Mr Mathieu kerekou is a family friend.Your assistance is now
sought in the transfer of this money to you country for investment into any
lucrative business of your choice.

By this mail, you are requested to visit me here for familiarisation and to
enable us arrange on how to get this suitcase out from the deposit company
and transfer this money into your account in your country after which I will
go back with you.But if you can not come down here then the deposit company
can arrange and bring it to you in your country under their diplomatic
coverage system just the same way it was brought from my country to this
place.You will be required to send me your picture to enable me know the
person that I am dealing with.I will send mine too. 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
both of us.We must act fast because it cost me $100 daily as demurage to the
deposit company
keeping this suitcase and the earlier we remove it from there the better for
us.This is not scam please.I know about scam because my late husband was a
victim before his death.Looking forward to your reply at your earliest
convinience.God bless.

Your full name;...............................
Your address:.................................
Your country:.................................
Your age:.........................................
Your occupation:.................................
Your Phone number:.............................

Best regards,
Mrs.Elizebeth Dona John Mugu
+00229 -97-6718-77
Reply to Email:( elizebeth_dona2@yahoo.fr )

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam