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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" (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)
  • "your urgent reply" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "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 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.
  • +22993940234 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Patrick Kodjo <patrick_kodjo@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <patrickkodjo@rediffmail.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 09:47:04 +0100
Subject: I Need Your Partnership In This



Hello,

I hereby write to solicit your help in this important business affair.I am Mr Patrick Kodjo the Chief store keeper of Global Security Assistance Sarl, Cotonou.On 23 September 2005,an expartriate Civil engineer and contractor(our client) made a timed deposited of a trunk box with our company for safe-keeping.At the time of deposit he decleared the box to be containing $5,320,000.00 (Five millon three hundred and twenty thousand dollars).He paid the premium for it to be in our custody for five weeks.He eventually died in an accident four weeks after,and therefore did not show up when it was due for collection.

The situation now is that since Late Engineer Eric Cole,made himself the sole beneficiary or collector of the deposit(trunk box).It is now not in doubt that no one else could claim the trunk box.Now I want to take possesion of it since no one else knows about it.The manifest with which everything was recorded is with me.I want you to submit application as next of kin to late Cole,and get the required approval,and receive the money and gold dust. I need your assistance as I do not have capacity to own such money while I live in Benin,hence your crucial help.Here I am now praying you to assist me in getting this money to safety.

Please,do me this favour .We shall negotiate how to share this money when I get your assurance for assistance.I await your urgent reply.Or you can call me on +229-939-40-234.

Your Sincerely

Patrick Kodjo.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam