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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:
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• 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:
  • "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)
  • "keep it confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Robert D. Kwame" <robert_d_kwame@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:20:24 -0800 (PST)
Subject: VERY URGENT FROM ROBERT









Dear=A0Sir,

My Name is Mr.=A0Robert David=A0Kwame=A0am from Liberia but am presently in=
Accra Ghana West Africa, I came to Accra Ghana=A0weeks ago with my consign=
ment containing $25 million united state spend able cash, am in a Hotel wit=
h the consignment and I don't want any body here in Africa to know that I a=
m with such amount of money in the hotel.=20

I am contacting you to assistance me received my funds for me to come over =
to you for us to invest this funds with you as business partners, however, =
i have the understanding that I cannot transfer this funds without trusting=
some body like you this bring we to have absolutely trust and honesty on o=
ne another.=20

I don't want any thing bad to happen to my funds because, this is my only h=
ope in life, for security reason.
Please. I want to assure you that there is absolutely nothing for you to wo=
rry about in this my funds, I am ready to co operate with you provided let =
be honest and I will like to know your percentage in assisting me for me to=
proceed and i do beg you to keep it confidential for security reason.

I wait to hear from you soonest.=20
God bless you,
Mr. Robert David=A0Kwame=20
=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam