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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
• 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.
  • gpujeh@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Martha Pujeh" <jonpym@msn.com>
Reply-To: gpujeh@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 07:49:52 +0000
Subject: EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

ATTENTION:

Thank you for taking the time to read this mail. My name is Mrs. MARTHA
PUJEH, from Diamond rich country district of Bombali in Northern Province of
Sierra Leone. I am the widow of the Late Mr.MOMOH PUJEH, the managing
director of Sierra Leone diamond mining co-operation and transport minister.
I am currently living in a refugee center in London, UK. My family and I
have been unfortunate to find ourselves caught up in a very difficult
situation in London. I know you will be surprise to receive this message,
but it is of utmost importance to me and my family. Anyway, I am about to
entrust my destiny and the destiny of my whole dependants on your shoulder
if you can help us, it will also be of immense benefit to you too. This
transaction demands utmost trust, honesty, integrity and most important,
secrecy. It is only through the above that my family and I will be assured
of our security. This regrettable situation led to the killing of my husband
and only daughter and the displacement of my family.

During the brutal civil war in my country Sierra Leone, my late husband of
blessed memory was brutally murdered by the rebels led by Mr. Foday Sankoh,
he was murdered with my only daughter (Nina). But my two sons (Greg &
Daniel) and I managed to escape to UK, through the help of the International
Rescue Committee (IRC).But before my late husband's death, he drew my
attention to a box containing about twelve million US dollars ($12 Million)
which he smuggled out at the start of the war to a firm company in Spain. He
registered it in the name of my son Greg Pujeh as family art and monuments)
He also gave me the certificate of deposit and receipt issued to him by the
security company, which I still have in my possession. The problem I have is
that as a refugee, the immigration law does not allow us to open or hold
operate bank account in London and I do not want to seek the assistance of
just anybody for fear of being duped or defraud of our only livelihood, I
have sold almost all my jewelries to keep body and soul together, hence the
British Government is not really taking care of us.

What is required of you is to give us your full name, telephone and fax
numbers and contact address so that I can secure a Power of Attorney in your
favor that would enable you contact the financial company as the beneficiary
of the box. You can then transfer the funds to your bank account after the
box must have been released to you. In order to make it worthwhile, we will
give you part of the money. We have also map out 5% of the principal sum for
any expenses that you may incurred during the transaction process which
includes your traveling expenses, we intend to invest the remaining part of
the money on your advice in any lucrative business ventures in your country,
you may even act as our financial adviser if you are so disposed. If you
want to help, you can contact my son Greg Pujeh who recently got a job in
one of the local firms here in London on his email
address:(gpujeh@yahoo.co.uk)

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs.Martha Pujeh

Please visit the following web pages for further information on the
Sierra Leone war.
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sl.html
http://www.hrw.org/reports98/sierra/
http://www.refugees.org/news/crisis/sierraleone/sierraleone_photos.htm
http://www.theirc.org/Sierra%20Leone/
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/sankoh1.html

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam