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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:
  • "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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "the consignment" (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)
• This email message is a orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:52:33 +0000
Subject: VERY IMPORANT


*Dear,
My name is Mr. Larry wasu I am very happy to inform you that I

got your contact from our Rev father in our church in Accra , Ghana -
West Africa .
Sir, I am from DR Congo, but I have been in the refugee camp
here in Ghana for the past 8 months now.
my mother was murdered in the eastern region of the DR.
I lost my father in Kinshasha during the recent crisis in the
country,
thereby making me an orphan.
before, he was a business man, dealing with gold in his time,
and he was successful businessman.
So after his death, I left for Ghana with his
properties including three (3) strong boxes of consignment
Sir ,am pleading to inform you that my father left something for me to
start up my life.
With much faithful I want to let you know that my father left three
boxes of consignment containing $100.000,000.USD. each, and 24
karat of diamond.
Right now the consignments are in a security company here in Accra,Ghana.

Now i want to take you as my trusted foreign assistant who
can assist me to transfer the boxes down to your country

Please I am a student and I want to come to Your country to further my
education there, as i am now an orphan.
Sir, I want you to assure me the safety of my consignment. I am
confident in you as long as my Rev. Father introduces you to me.
I will like you to invest the fund in your country ,
so that I can come
soon to stay with you.

Regards,
Yours faithfully,
LARRY WASU.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam