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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• 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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "cotonou" (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.
  • mrs_allenkone@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: mrsallen kone <mrsallen@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <mrs_allenkone@myway.com>
Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 11:28:18 +0200
Subject: FROM: MRS ALLEN KONE



FROM: MRS ALLEN KONEBENIN REPUBLIC COTONOU.WEST AFRICA DEAREST ONE, I KNOW THAT THIS MIGHT SOUND SO STRANGE TO YOU SINCE WE HAVE NOT MET BEFORE. BUT LET ME QUICKLY INTRODUCE MYSELF, I AM MRS ALLEN KONE I AM 30 YEARS OLD AM FROM Sierra Leone MY LATE HUSBAND WAS A GREAT POLITITIAN AND AN OIL BARON BEFORE HUSBAND IS DEAD BUT BEFORE HIS DEATH HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF $35.5 MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS IN A SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC COTONOU. MY LATE HUSBAND DEPOSITED THIS MONEY /CONSIGNMENT AS A FAMILY VALUEBLE BEFORE HE DIED.AND ALSO GOLD. SO I WANT A GOD FEARING PERSON THAT I CAN TRUST WHO WILL NOT BETRAY ME WHEN THE MONEY/ CONSIGNMENTIS WILL GETS TO YOUR COUNTRY I WANT ALSO TO HELP ME IMMIGRATE TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR INVESTMENT. SO PLEASE GET BACK TO ME AND I WILL TELL YOU HOW WE CAN DO THINGS TOGETHER. PLS FOR YOUR INFORMETION YOU CAN STILL CONTANT ME ON THIS EMAIL ADDRESS . THE EMAIL IS . (mrs_allenkone@myway.com) YOURS SINCERELY,MRS ALLEN KONE
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam