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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
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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:
  • "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)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "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.
  
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +27839995081 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • josephtaylor_southafrica@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "joseph taylor" <josephtaylor_southafrica22@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:52:12 +0200
Subject: FROM MR. JOSEPH TAYLOR (I HAVE MONEY TO INVEST)

VERY CONFIDENTIAL MATTER.

DEAR SIR,


PLEASE CONSIDER THIS MAIL AS VERY IMPORTANT AND URGENT. I AM MR. JOSEPH
TAYLOR, THE ELDEST SON OF FORMER PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA- PRESIDENT CHARLES
TAYLOR. MY FATHER IS NOW IN SIERRE LEONE FACING TRIALS WITH THE UNITED
NATIONS COURT SITTING THERE.

BEFORE HE WAS FORCED TO FACE HIS TRIAL IN SIERRE LEONE, HE HANDED ME THE SUM
OF US$10M (TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) CASH FOR SAFE KEEPING BECAUSE
HE ALREADY KNEW THAT USA GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED NATIONS ARE AFTER HIM. HE
ADVISED THAT I SHOULD USE THIS MONEY WISELY FOR INVESTMENT BECAUSE HE IS
AWARE THAT HE MIGHT BE JAILED.

I AM NOW INTO HIDING IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH THIS MONEY BUT MY PROBLEM RIGHT
NOW IS THAT I DON'T WANT THE AUTHORITIES HERE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS MONEY OR MY
WHEREABOUT FOR SECURITY REASONS. I WANT YOU TO ASSIST ME MOVE THIS MONEY
OUT AND INVEST IT IN YOUR COUNTRY. I WILL USE FAKE IDENTITY TO MOVE OUT OF
SOUTH AFRICA BUT I WANT YOU TO ASSIST ME IN RECEIVING THIS MONEY SO THAT WE
CAN INVEST IT TOGETHER IN YOUR COUNTRY HENCE I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE MONEY
HERE.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME INVEST THE MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY AND
EVERYTHING WILL BE UNDER YOUR NAME TO AVOID THE GOVERNMENT KNOWING THAT I AM
THE OWNER OF THIS MONEY AND THE INVESTMENT. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE BASED ON
TRUST AND YOU MUST NOT LEAK THIS INFORMATION TO ANYBODY TO AVOID THE
AUTHORITIES ARRESTING ME OR CONFISCATING THE MONEY HERE.

WE WILL DISCUSS FACE TO FACE ABOUT YOUR COMPENSATION FOR ASSISTING ME OR WE
CAN GO INTO BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER. I AM WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT
REPLY AND YOU CAN CALL ME ON MY PRIVATE NUMBER: +27 83 999 5081. PLS DO NOT
RELEASE MY PHONE NUMBER OR MY IDENTITY TO ANYBODY FOR MY SAFETY HERE.

AWAITING YOUR URGENT COOPERATION.

REGARDS,

JOSEPH TAYLOR.

NOTE: PLS REPLY THROUGH MY SAFE YAHOO EMAIL ADDRESS:
josephtaylor_southafrica@yahoo.com

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam