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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "million us 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)
  • "the key word to this transaction is absolute confidentiality" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "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.
  • +27839859444 (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.
  • t_omar26@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Omar Taylor" <omart30@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: t_omar26@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:51:17 +0000
Subject: STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL JOINT VENTURE/PARTNERSHIP

ATTN: DIRECTOR/CEO

DEAR SIR,

I am making this venture proposal to you, as a reliable partner. I got your
contact from your country business guide as a reliable person/company in a
related area of my interest for investment.

The money I want to invest was acquired from the former Liberia President
(Mr. Charles Taylor) vault account, and then I was his second wife before he
was captured and arrested by United Nation (UN) Court on the 29 March 2006,
for allegedly war crimes.

I kept this money with a security finance company in South Africa. The
amount to invest is ($35M) million US dollars. Presently, I am still here in
Nigeria where our family seeks for political asylum before the arrest of my
husband but my son "Pedro Taylor" is currently residing in Johannesburg
South Africa for the purpose of clearing the consignment containing the
funds from the security vault in South Africa.

If you will like to assist us as a partner, then indicate your interest
after which you shall meet with my son in South Africa to discuss and
conclude on the modalities as a matter of urgency. My son will reveal all
other information relative to the presence of the funds to you as we
progress on. I will like my proposal to be kept confidential as regards to
what I explained above and you can reach my son urgently on his e-mail or
telephone number below:

My son's Name: Pedro Taylor
Telephone: +27 83 985 9444
Email: t_omar26@yahoo.com

Please indicate your direct telephone and fax numbers when replying this
business proposal. If our proposition is considered, for assisting us to
transfer this money to your country, we will offer you 25% of the total fund
and 5% of the total fund will be set aside to cover any expenses incurred
during this transaction. 70% will be for my family to invest in your country
under your supervision.

NOTE: THE KEY WORD TO THIS TRANSACTION IS ABSOLUTE CONFIDENTIALITY AND
URGENCY. THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE. YOUR URGENT RESPONSE WILL BE
HIGHLY APPRECIATED.

Bye and God Bless,

Mrs. Omar Taylor
(For the family)

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam