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:
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From:
=?UTF-8?Q?Our_Lady_Of_Peace_C=C3=B4te_d=27Ivoire?= <ourladyofpeace01.rci@outlook.fr>
Reply-To:
=?UTF-8?Q?Our_Lady_Of_Peace_C=C3=B4te_d=27Ivoire?= <ourladyofpeace2@yahoo.pt>
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2015 10:39:57 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: From Our Lady of Peace.

Â Dear Sir / Madam,
This proposal is coming from, Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro (French: Basilique Notre-Dame de la Paix de Yamoussoukro) the administrative capital of CÃ´te d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
The Hour has come to liberate the less privileged homes in your country from all oppression of the poverties by donating the sum Amounts of Funds from our diocese. These Funds shall be establish to Charity organizations, motherless babies home, Poor churches, Schools, supporting destitute aged men and women, and the church is sending you to undertake this task.
Note:If you know that you and your family are not worthy to carry out this Task, please we advise you to delete this proposal from your mail box donâ€™t lie to pretend (Acts 5 vs. 1: 10) But if you discover from your heart to carry out this Task, (Matthew 25 Vs 35: 37) get back to us instantly and keep this proposal as a confidential top secret within you alone.
If youâ€™re sincerely interested worthy to handle this project reply back to us, for we have decided to contact you based on the satisfactory recommendation we raid about you through your profile.
Therefore indicate your interest concerning this project by replying to us. Awaiting for your urgent response,
May the peace of God be with you and your family.Have a blessed day.
Yours Faithfully
Our Lady of Peace.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam