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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "trunk box" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • "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.
  • dvilam1@lycos.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: debo vilam <debovilam22@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2005 01:58:25 -0800 (PST)
Subject: From Debo Vilam


Miss Debo Vilam
Hello,

My name is Miss Debo Vilam. I am a girl of 19 years old and I am a citizen of the United States of America by birth, an orphan to the late former minister of finance in Liberia Dr. Thomas Vilam who died as a result of rebel attack during one of their peace keeping forum in late 2003, my mother died when I was 6 years old.

I inherited a total sum of $4.6 million US dollars from my late parents. This money which is concealed in a metallic trunk box is deposited with a security and finance company in Ivory Coast under a secret arrangement as a family treasure. This means that the security company does not know the real content of this box that was sent from the United State of America to Ivory Coast under a diplomatic coverage. My main purpose of sending you this mail is because of the way I found you and perhaps trustworthy to give this priority of shipping this box of money to any address that you think is very secure and safe in place with your percentage of which we shall chat on soon. I will come over to your country to continue my education as soon as the funds is claimed by you.

There is need for urgent action because I am paying US $45 dollars per day as a demurrage charges to the security company for keeping this consignment. I give thanks immensely for the co-operation as I look forward to hearing from you soonest. Please you can contact me at dvilam1@lycos.co.uk

Best Regard,

Miss Debo Vilam





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam