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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • +22508541845 (Cote d'Ivoire, 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.
  • james_abedi20@yahoo.fr

Fraud email example:

From: "James Abedi" <james_abedi20@yahoo.fr> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2006 09:15:21 +0100
Subject: From: James Abedi

From: James Abedi
E-mail :james_abedi20@yahoo.fr
Abidjan, Cote d'ivoire
Tel: +225 08541845
Peace Be Unto You
I am Mr james_abedi the only son of late Mr. Joseph Abedi . My father and mother were very wealthy farmers and cocoa merchant when they were both alive
After the death of my father,long ago, my mother was controling his business untill she was poisoned by her business associates which she surffered and died . Before the death of my mother on October 2005 in a private hospital here in Abidjan where she was admitted, she secretly called me on her bed side and disclosed to me about the sum of four million five hundred US dollars thousand . USD ($4.5million ) she left in suspense account in one of the bank here in Abidjan , it was the money she intended to transfer oversea for investment before she was poisoned.
She instructed that I should seek for a foreign partner in any country of my choice who will assist me transfer this money in oversea account where the money will be save and invested wisely.
Because of the current political problem here in Ivory Coast I decided to transfer the money to abroad where it will be save and invested. therefore, I am crying and seeking for your kind assistance in the following ways:
(1) To provide a safe bank account into where the money will be transferred for investment .
(2) To serve as a guardian of this fund since I am a boy of 20 years old .
(3) To make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my education and to secure a resident permit for me in your country.
As soon as I receive your urgent reply indicating your interest to assist me to successfuly transfer the money into your yet nominated account , I would give you all necessary information you may require.I have mapped out 20% of the total funds as mode of compensation for your effort for assisting me with this request. Expecting your urgent response via my email

address: james_abedi20@yahoo.fr

Yours son,
James Abedi.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam