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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.

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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states 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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "former president of liberia" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• 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.
  • barristerrichardwilliams@atmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "barrister richard williams" <willaimesq@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: barristerrichardwilliams@atmail.com
Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:11:57 -0400
Subject: MY CLIENT WANT TO INVEST WITH YOU AND YOUR COMPANY

MY CLIENT WANT TO INVEST WITH YOU AND YOUR COMPANY
FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER RICHARD WILLIAMS.
PERSONAL LAWYER TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA.

DEAR SIR / MADAM,
MY NAME IS BARRISTER RICHARD WILLIAMS, I AM A PRIVATE ATTORNEY AND I
HAVE A CLIENT WHO IS INTERESTED IN INVESTING SOME GOOD MONEY IN YOUR
COMPANY.MY CLIENT IS A VERY IMPORTANT AND PROMINENT PERSON WHO HAS MANDATED
ME TO CONTACT YOU OR YOUR COMPANY FOR A VERY IMPORTANT BUSINESS
TRANSACTION.MY CLIENT IS BY NAME MR. CHARLES TAYLOT AND HE WAS THE FORMAL
PRESIDENTOF LIBERIA FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA. MR. CHARLES TAYLOR MADE
ALOT OF MONEY THROUGH GOLD/DIAMOND, OIL PROCEEDS DURING HIS TENURE IN
OFFICE.

THE TRUTH OF THIS CASE IS THAT MY CLIENT DESPITE THE PROBLEM HE IS
GOING THROUGH NOW, HE STILL HAS A LOT OF MONEY IN HIS POSSESSION. WHICH HE
INTENDS TO INVEST OUTSIDE THEIR COUNTRY LIBERIA. WHAT MY CLIENT NEEDS
FROM YOU NOW IS A RELIABLE ACCOUNT WHERE HE CAN TRANSFER SOME MONEY BUT
MIND YOU, ALL THE MONEY IN HIS POSSESSION CAN NOT LEAVE AT ONCE BECAUSE
HE NEEDS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN SOMEONE WHO WOULD NOT EXPOSE
HIS PLAN TO REMIT AND POSSIBLY INVEST IN YOUR COMPANY. SO HE HAS AGREED
THAT I SHOULD MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE TRANSFER OF US$250 MILLION
UNITED STATES DOLLARS, THEN IF HE FINDS YOU RELIABLE, HE WILL STILL TRANSFER
THE REMAINING US$250 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS AND YOU ARE FREE TO
NEGOTIATE YOUR MODE OF COMPENSATION EVEN IF HE NTENDS TO INVEST THE
MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY.

PLEASE, DO NOT HESITATE TO INDICATE YOUR VIEW OF THIS REQUEST BY
CONTACTING ME IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL, SO THAT THE NECESSARY
ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE FOR THE MONEY TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. DUE TO THE
PRESENT SITUATION OF MY CLIENT, I WOULD BE HAPPY IF THIS REQUEST CAN BE KEPT
A SECRET. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED. I
HOPE MY CLIENT WOULD BE HAPPY INVESTING WITH YOU.IF THIS PROPOSAL IS
ACCEPTABLE BY YOU, DO NOT FORGET TO SEND YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX
NUMBERS WHEN REPLYING TO MY EMAIL : barristerrichardwilliams@atmail.com

THANKS,

BARRISTER RICHARD WILLIAMS

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam