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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Theresa Coleman" <theresa_theresa_therese@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 15:19:27 +0000
Subject: Business Proposal From (Mrs Theresa Coleman)

>From Mrs Theresa Coleman,
Cote D'Ivoire,West Africa.

Attn :

Calvary greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Based on the information I gathered about you from a very reliable source,
I am happy to send this message to you. I hope you will consider and give it urgent
and favourable reply.

My name is Mrs Theresa Coleman, 35 years,a citizen of Sierra - Leone , wife of late
Fidelix Coleman, who before his death was the person managing the Sierra - Leone
goldand diamond corporation( SGDC ).

I hope you are aware of the war which has ravaged my country for the past years now .
It was in one of this attacks by the rebels that led to the death of my husband and
three of my children , now I am left with only my last son David .

I was terrified of the situation and because of this I escaped with my son David from
Sierra - Leone to cote d' Ivoire into a refugee camp but brought along the sum of
u.s$12.5 million , in a metallic box and presently in a security company as family
valuables .

My aim of contacting you is to seek for your able assistance as a front in transferring
this fund abroad into an account , then as a business developer , you can help us to
invest wisely in areas you deem lucrative and finally obtain a residential permit for us
to stay comfortable in your country of abode .

Presently we cannot go back to Sierra- Leone because of the situation there and you
know that cote d' Ivoire where we are now is politically unstable; we therefore wish you
could help us get out of here before it become worse.

We are prepared to offer you 10% of the total funds for your able assistance and
support and would send you proofs of the funds as soon as we favourably hear from you .

Finally I implore you to treat this transaction with secrecy and confidentiality for
security reasons .

Thanking you in anticipation and God bless.

Mrs Theresa Coleman.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam