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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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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge amount of money" (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)
• 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.
  • m_m@personal.ro (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. M. MINICON" <m.minicon1@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:15:45 +0000
Subject: INVESTMENT PARTNER WANTED, HAPPY NEW YEAR

Dear Friend,
Please do not be embarrassed in this mail. As we have not met or seen before, I got your contact from the internet during the course of my search for a reliable foreigner who will assist me in receiving the sum of US$2.5 M dollars and 350 KGS OF GOLD BARS.

Though I know this message will come to you as a surprise but the sitaution at hand, i want you to treat it with utmost concern, May l first introduce myself, l' m Micheal Minicon the only surviving son to one late politicial in liberia,who pass away during the liberia war, as event started counting our jouney i found myself in refugee camp here in Ghana,for many years before the restorment of the new present goverment in liberia,which authomatily returned peace and normancy to liberia and liberia back to land that is how i return back to my home liberia,

In the process of cleaning our house I discover some documents in my father underground save indicating that my late father deposited some huge amount of money($2.5M US Dollars) and 350 KGS of Gold Bars in a bank, I am soliciting your assistance to help me on how to transfer this money and the Gold from the bank to your country After moving the money/Gold you will help me to come over to your country and continue my life over there, this is my only hope.

I expect your response including your telephone and fax or mobile numbers. Reply through this email: m_m@personal.ro only.
Thanks for expected cooperation.
My regards,
Mr.Michael Minicon

REPLY TO THIS EMAIL BOX: m_m@personal.ro

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam