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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "the diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist 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.
  
• 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.
  • rictaylor@myway.com

Fraud email example:

From: "rrau" <rrau@terra.com.mx>
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2006 12:37:19 -0600
Subject: FROM RICHARD TAYLOR


DEAR,
I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.
I AM MR. RICHARD TAYLOR, THE SON OF THE FORMER LIBERIA PRESIDENT MR. CHARLES TAYLOR. MY FAMILY AND I ARE ON EXILE. PLEASE, I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR THIS PACKAGE THAT IS ALREADY IN ENGLAND WHICH MY FATHER SHIPPED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC MEANS WITH THE HELP OF A DIPLOMAT.
THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS $10,000,000.00 ALL IN $100.00 BILLS, BUT THE DIPLOMAT DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT IS MONEY THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE.
ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS, GIVE ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESS, YOUR PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER, YOUR COMPANY NAME WITH ADDRESS AND OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO ME. DUE REPLY TO MY ALTERNATIVE EMAIL ADDRESS (rictaylor@myway.com)
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
RICHARD TAYLOR

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam