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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "trunk box" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "trunk boxes" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Prince Martins <prince_martins006@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:11:54 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: My response - Prince Martins


Dear VICTIMNAME,

I am glad to receive your response concerning my proposal.

With regards to your mail; I’m very sorry for what happened to you last year though I do not know the details of what you encountered with the person. I would like to let you know that my proposal was made in good faith and all is 100% legal and 100% risk free. If you want us to reach an agreement before we will proceed let me know so that I get a reputable well known lawyer to draft a contractual agreement between you and I then after execution of the agreement we will now proceed.


Presently I am taking refugee in one of undeveloped city in Cote d’Ivoire called Yamoussoukro as my father business partners are looking for me to eliminate me and take all the documents concerning the deposit to enable them claim the deposit. And I will stay in this City until we conclude this transaction before I will travel to your country to start a new live as Africa is very risk for me to stay due to our family enemies. This is the reason I will want us to conclude this transaction very fast to enable me to get out of Africa as fast as I can.

The money is in Cash. As I told you the total amount (US$17,300,000.00) were packed inside two safety trunk boxes before my father deposited it with security company (Magnum Securities CI) here in Abidjan, Cote d'ivoire. My father did not disclose the content of the boxes during depositing but he only declares the deposit as Personal Effect for fear of betrayal and we should not for any reason disclose the content of trunk boxes to the security company during the time we will start arranging the procedures of concluding this transaction.

I would like you to let me know the kind of profitable investment you would like to invest the money on. I would appreciate it much if you can start making feasibility study of investment type.

When responding to this mail includes your telephone and fax number for easy communication.

Thanks and God bless you.

Prince Martins


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam