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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.

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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • +22506067224 (Cote d'Ivoire, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • maryasim01@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Our Family" <maryasim01@gmail.com> (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:06:36 +0100 (MET)
Subject: From;Madam Mary Asim.


From;Madam Mary Asim.

Tel;00225 06067224

My Dear,

PLEASE DO REPLY ME WITH THIS PRIVATE MAIL: maryasim01@gmail.com It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venature which I and my Son Musa intend to establish in your country.Though I have not met with you before but I believe one has to risk confiding in succeed sometimes in life.
I can confide on you for the brighter future of my children since you are a human being like me. There is this huge amount of Fifteen Million five hundred thousand united states dollars. ($15.500.000.00) which my late Husband kept for us with a Security Company here in Abidjan Cote D\'ivoire before he was assasinated by unknown persons.Now I and my son Musa decided to invest these money in your country or anywhere safe enough for security and political reasons.

We want you to help us claim and retrieve these fund from the Security company and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment purposes on these areas:
1). Telecommunication2). the transport industry
3). Five star hotel
4). Real Estate5).Tourism

If you can be of an assistance to us we will be pleased to offer to you 10% Of the total fund.
You can call my son Musa for more explanation on this number: 00225 06067224
I await your soonest response.

Respectfully yours,

Mrs Mary Asim.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam