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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:
  • "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)
  • "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.
  • michealbono@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR MICHEAL BONO" <bmicheal2007@rediffmail.com> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:55:28 +0400
Subject: PROPOSAL FROM MR MICHEAL

Good Day to you,
It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which i intend
to establish in your country Though I have not met with you before but I believe, one has to risk confiding in someone to succeed sometimes in life
My name is Mr. Michael Bono from Liberia the son of Mr. Benson Bono The former personal assistant to Charles Taylor the former Liberian president who is now in Holland facing war crime charges. My father Mr. Benson Bono has been in custody since the fallen regime of Charles Taylor so last week when I went to visit my father in prison he told me about the deposit of 9,000.000 (nine million united states dollars) he made in a bank in the middle East, now due to the problem he has with our country he can never have access to transfer or withdraw the money.
Therefore I need your assistance as a foreign partner who can help me bring this fund out from the bank; all I need is your names and account information, contact numbers and also your valid identification to present to the bank so that the bank can transfer the money into your account. By assisting me I will offer you 25% of the total fund which 75% will be for me and my mother to invest in your country bear in mind that there is no risk involve beacause the deposit certificate issued to my father by the bank during the time of deposit is now in my custody and I will also send it to you as soon as I receive your positive reply via my alternative e mail address(michealbono@yahoo.com)
Thanks and may God bless you
Yours
Sincerely
Michael Bono

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam