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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "esther koroma" <esther_koroma59@latinmail.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 23:04:12 +0100 (CET)
Subject: FROM. SISTER ESTHER KOROMA


DEAR,

I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOUR HEALTH MAY THE ALMIGHTY GOD BE WITH YOU BY UNDER=
STANDING THIS MESSAGE. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I REALLY WANT TO BE IN R=
ELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.THOUGH WE'VE NOT MET BEFORE NOW BUT IT TAKES ONE D=
AY FOR TWO TO BE TOGETHER IN UNITY AND PEACEFUL LIFE, .I'M SISTER ESTHE=
R KOROMA THE ONLY CHILD/DAUGHTER OF LATE MR. CHRISTOPHER KOROMA ADDRESS=
:

RUE 142 MARCORY ABIDJAN COTED'IVOIRE WEST AFRICA, I AM 20YEARS OLD GIRL=
I LOST MY PARENT, AND I HAVE AN INHERITANCE FROM MY LATE FATHER,MY PA=
RENTS WERE VERY WEALTHY FARMERS AND COCOA MERCHANT WHEN THEY WERE ALIVE=
, AFTER THE DEATH OF MY MOTHER,LONG AGO, MY FATHER WAS CONTROLING THE B=
USINESS UNTILL HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES WHICH HE SURF=
FERED AND DIED, BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON OCTOBER 2004 IN A PRIV=
ATE HOSPITAL HERE IN COTED'IVOIRE WHERE HE WAS ADMITTED, HE SECRETLY CA=
LLED ME ON HIS BED SIDE AND DISCLOSED TO ME ABOUT THE SUM OF (NINE MILL=
ION US DOLLARS) ($9 MILLION ) HE LEFT IN SUSPENSE ACCOUNT IN ONE OF THE=
BANK HERE IN ABIDJAN,=20

IT WAS THE MONEY HE INTENDED TO TRANSFER OVERSEA FOR INVESTMENT BEFORE =
HE WAS STRUCKED DOWN BY THE CANCER, HE ALSO INSTRUCTED ME THAT I SHOULD=
SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER IN ANY COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHO WILL ASSIST=
ME TRANSFER THIS MONEY IN OVERSEA ACCOUNT WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE SAVE=
AND INVESTED WISELY, BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT POLITICAL PROBLEM HERE IN =
IVORY COAST I DECIDED TO TRANSFER THE MONEY TO ABROAD WHERE IT WILL BE =
SAVE AND INVESTED,THEREFORE, I AM CRYING AND SEEKING FOR YOUR KIND ASSI=
STANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS: (1)=20

TO PROVIDE A SAFE BANK ACCOUNT INTO WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED=
FOR INVESTMENT, (2) TO SERVE AS A GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND SINCE I AM ONL=
Y 20 YEARS OLD, (3) TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COU=
NTRY TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION AND TO SECURE A RESIDENT PERMIT FOR ME IN =
YOUR COUNTRY, I HAVE DECIDED TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR Y=
OUR WILLINGNESS AND ASSISTANCE TO HELP ME,PLEASE KINDLY RESPOND TO MY M=
AIL IMMEDIATELY WITH YOUR FULL PERSONAL INFORMATION, TELEPHONE NUMBER S=
O THAT I CAN CALL AND SPEAK WITH YOU ON THE TELEPHONE, THANKS FOR YOUR =
UNDERSTANDING=20

FROM. SISTER ESTHER KOROMA=20


Un 2007 de Ins=F3lito, Deporte, Cine o Belleza... =A1Feliz Navidad! htt=
p://pan.starmedia.com/especiales/navidad07/portada/index.html

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