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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:
  • "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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "abidjan" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Darlington Chiwetaego" <chiwetaego2ci@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 22:05:53 +0000
Subject: Message From: Mr. Darlington Chiwetaego.

Mr. Darlington Chiwetaego
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
West Africa.

Confidential message.
Dearest one.

This email transmission is coming to you from my residence because of it's confidential status. However, this letter contains some confidential materials and should be deleted from your mail box indicating that you are not interested concerning the proposal.
For the formality of this transaction I would appreciate introducing myself. My names are Mr. Darlington Chiwetaego the director of audit in the bank here in Ivory Coast (Cotte D'Ivoire) in West Africa.
We discovered an amount of 28,500.000.00(Twenty eight million five hundred thousand united states dollars) during our audit and the amount belongs to the former head of state Gen. Robert Guei who was assasinated together with all his household by the incumbent government soldiers as an accusation of plotting a failed coup. Though this amount was 58.5 Million Unitted States Dollars, but some part of the money suspected to has been used in the importation of arms by the General until he met the unexpected death.

I and my colleague have all the necessary documents involved in the deposition and the withdrawal of the part of the moneyand the next of kin was his personal security guard who also met his death during the conflict. Now I want you to stand as the
next of kin and help us transfer this amount of money from the bank here tto your bank in your country. We assure you that this transaction/deal is 100% risk free and I
will prepare all the documentation and prove the source of the fund before the transfer.

Furthermore, I would want you to understand thatt this business involves two bank top officials and must not be played with. We advise that you think very well before responding to this proposal because we need a matured and strong hand that can handle this transaction. Your percentage and other important details will be discussed once I confirm your kind willinngness in assisting in the transfer.
We anticipate your prompt response indicating your willingness and readiness to proceed.

Best regards.
Sincerely,
Mr. Darlington Chiwetaego

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam