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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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• 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:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found 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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Usman Ebel" <u_ebel@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2006 15:38:53 +0200
Subject: HELLO DEAR!

DEAREST ONE,

COMPLIMENTS OF THE DAY, HOW ARE YOU TODAY. HOPE YOU ARE FINE, THERE ARE THINGS WHICH I WILL LIKE YOU TO KNOW ABOUT ME, MY NAME IS USMAN EBEL, I AM THE ONLY SON OF MY FATHER. MY FATHER IS LATE CHIEF DR. ALI EBEL THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF GOLD EXPORT IN MY COUNTRY LIBERIA WHO IS NOW DEAD. HE WAS MURDERED BY THE NORTH REBELS FOR POLITICAL REASONS.

I AM WRITING TO SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE IN HELPING ME KEEP AND INVEST IN YOUR COUNTRY THE SUM OF 6.5MILLION U.S DOLLARS. THIS MONEY DEPOSITED BY MY LATE FATHER IN FINANCE FIRM IN DAKAR SENEGAL, UNDER MY NAME. THIS MONEY WAS REALIZED FROM GOLD EXPORT. JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS INFORMED ABOUT THIS DEPOSIT BY THE FINANCE FIRM WHERE MY FATHER DEPOSITED IT. AND I HAVE VISITED THE FINANCE FIRM IN SENEGAL TO ACCRETION THE JENUITY OF THE DEPOSIT. MY FATHER KEPT MONEY FOR ME AND AM HERE SUFFERING

HOWEVER, THE FINANCE COMPANY COULD NOT RELEASE THE DEPOSIT TO ME ON THE CONDITION THAT I HAVE TO PROVIDE SOMEBODY WHO IS UP TO 30YRS WHO CAN STAND AS A TRUSTEE, SO THAT THEY CAN BE ABLE TO HAND THE PERSON OVER THE DEPOSIT FOR SAFE KEEPING AND INVESTMENT UNTIL I AM UP TO 30YRS SINCE I AM ONLY 22YRS OR I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL I AM UP 30YRS BEFORE THEY CAN RELEASE THE DEPOSIT TO ME. AT THE MOMENT, I AM FINANCIALLY ANDICAPPED THAT I CAN NOT AFFORD TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT 8YRS BEFORE THE MONEY COULD BE RELEASED TO ME. THAT IS WHY I WRITE TO REQUEST FROM YOU IF YOU WILL BE DISPOSED IN HELPING ME KEEP AND INVEST THIS MONEY WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF ANYBODY. AS WE ARE IN GOOD PARTNERSHIP, TO ME IF YOU HELP AND BRING THIS MONEY OUT, THEN IT WILL ENABLE ME TO MEET YOU THERE.

I WILL OFFER YOU A REASONABLE % OUT OF THIS MONEY OR WE CAN ENTER INTO PARTNERSHIP AT THE END OF THE DAY. PLS DEAR HELP ME.

YOUR TRULY,
USMAN EBEL.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam