419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "misslindaibrahimcoulibaly@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22997537426 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Miss Linda Ibrahim Coulibalyibaly <misslindaibrahim00@gmail.com>
Reply-To: misslindaibrahimcoulibaly@outlook.com
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2014 09:51:49 +0100
Subject: Please permit me to introduce myself, I am Miss Linda Ibrahim
Coulibaly 24 years old female from the Republic of Ivory Coast, West Africa,

Dear Friend ,

Please permit me to introduce myself, I am Miss Linda Ibrahim
Coulibaly 24 years old female from the Republic of Ivory Coast, West
Africa, I the Daughter of Late Chief Sgt. Ibrahim Coulibaly (a.k.a
General IB ). My late Father was a well known Ivory Coast military
leader. He died on Thursday 28 April 2011 following a fight with the
Republican Forces of Ivory Coast (FRCI).You can read more about my
father in the link below:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/28/ivory-coast-renegade-warlord-ibrahim-coulibaly

I am constrained to contact you because of the maltreatment which I am
receiving from my step mother. She planned to take away all my late
father treasury and properties from me since the unexpected death of
my beloved Father because my mother died during child birth and I was
left alone with my step mother to take care of me. Meanwhile I wanted
to travel to Europe, but she hide away my traveling documents. Luckily
she did not discover where I kept my father File which contained
important documents like will and deposit certificate of my Father
fund which bears my name as the next of kin to inherit the money in
Security Company. Now I am presently staying in the Refugee Mission
Camp in Republic of Benin. I am seeking for long term relationship and
investment assistance. My father of blessed memory deposited the sum
of 5,500,000.00 Million Euros in Global Payways Holdings Security
Company Netherlands.

I have contacted the Security Company to clear the deposit but the
Branch Manager told me that my late father place an instruction on the
deposited fund that I must present a foreign trustee who will help me
in investment of the fund.However, the manager advised me to provide a
trustee who will stand on my behalf for the transfer of the fund. I
wanted to inform my stepmother about this deposit but I am afraid that
she will not offer me anything after the release of the money because
she threaten to kill me.

Therefore, I decide to seek for your help in transferring the money
into your bank account while I will relocate to your country and
settle down with you. As you indicate your interest to help me I will
give you the contact of the Security Company in where my late beloved
father deposited the money with my name as the next of kin. It is my
intention to compensate you with 30% out of the total money after the
transfer for your assistance and the balance shall be my investment in
any profitable venture which you will recommend to me as I have no
idea about foreign investment. Thanks in anticipation of your
positive response.

Waiting your reply through my private email address
(misslindaibrahimcoulibaly@outlook.com) in good faith and may the
almighty God give you more inspiration on this and be bless.Here is my
directly telephone number +229 97 53 74 26 you can reach me for more
discussion.

Thanks.

Miss Linda Ibrahim Coulibaly.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam