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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:

• 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:
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "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.
  • +2289844083 (Togo, probably a 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.
  • richiben2007@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: richiben2007@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:58:06 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: REQUEST FOR YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:bensonrichrichard@yahoo.com.co

REQUEST FOR YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE

- RICHARD BENSON TEL : +228-9844083E-MAIL : richiben2007@yahoo.fr LOME – TOGO.SIR,REQUEST FOR YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE.FIRSTLY,I WISH TO CRAVE YOUR UTMOST CONFIDENCE IN THIS PROPOSAL.I AM RICHARD BENSON, THE FIRST SON OF LATE COLONEL PETER BENSON WHO WAS THE AIDE – DE – CAMP TO THE FORMER LIBERIAN PRESIDENT, CHARLES TAYLOR WHO IS CURRENTLY INCARCERATED FOR WAR CRIMES.MY PARENTS WERE ASSASSINATED BY THE ANTI – TAYLORS WHO CLAIMED THAT MY FATHER DEPRIVED THEM FROM HARMING HIS MASTER, CHARLES TAYLOR. THE DEATH OF MY PARENTS LEFT MYJUNIOR BROTHER AND I, ORPHANS.WE ESCAPED FROM THE THEN WARING COUNTRY , LIBERIA TO TOGO WITH THE RED CROSS AIRCRAFT THAT EVACUATED FOREIGNERS FROM THE WAR THEATRE SOME YEARS AGO.BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY PARENTS, MY FATHER DEPOSITED IN A SECURITY FIRM, 200KGS OF GOLD DUST AND THE SUM OF FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ( US$5,500,000 ) FOR HIS PERSONAL PROGRAMME NOT KNOWING THAT HE WAS GOING TO DIE. THE DEPOSIT DOCUMENT BEARS MY MOTHER’S NAME AND MINE AS THE NEXT OF KINS.PRESENTLY, WE ARE STRANDED IN TOGO AND DESIRE YOUR ASSISTANCE TO TRANSFER THE AFORE-MENTIONED WEALTH AND OUR PERSONAL SELVES TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES.NOTE THAT ARRENGMENT FOR THE WIRE OF THE FUND TO YOUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN MADE AND I AM ONLY WAITING FOR YOUR REPLY TO COMMENCE.PLEASE, LET ME KNOW YOUR CONDITION FOR ASSISTANCE AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT THE TRANSACTION.AWAITING YOUR FAVOURABLE REPLY.YOURS SINCERELY,RICHARD BENSON

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam