419 scam: Kone Erica <koneerica6@gmail.com> Dearest,

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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 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.
- ericakone69@yahoo.ie (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Kone Erica <koneerica6@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ericakone69@yahoo.ie
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 09:20:51 -0500
Subject: Dearest,

Dearest,

my email ericakone69@yahoo.ie

I'm Kone Erica from Ivory Coast . I am a college student and I am 20 years
old.My farther worked with Ivory Coast Embassy in France, he was also a
famous rich farmer until death took him away in the year 2012.He died after
a brief illness that lasted for some weeks. I live alone
here in Abidjan since after his death. Although I have not met you before,
but I believe that to succeed sometimes in life one must take risks,
trusting in someone said my late father.

I want to enter into a mutual business relationship with you. I am in
possession of a reasonable amount of money which I want to invest in your
country. Recently, I took the decision to transfer and invest this money in
overseas due to political problems in my country.
My only problem is to get a capable and honest person who can help me to
transfer and invest this money in a reliable and profitable investment.
Presently, this money is still in the bank and I am the sole beneficiary.

As soon as you show me your interest to help me, The amount deposited in
the bank is 4.2million, I am willing to offer you 20% of the total money
while 80% will be used for investment when transferred to
your account.

I hope to receive your sincere reply.

Thanks,
Kone Erica

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam