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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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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Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Delin Shecekedi" <shecekedidelin@netscape.net> (may be fake)
Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2005 19:58:21 +0200
Subject: REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED:

From: Mrs Delin Shecekedi

REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED:

I know this message might come to you as a surprise since you don't know me before.I got your contact from Information network online(INO)and want to use this opportunity to express my interest in doing business with you as I believe that you are reliable in handling this type of international transaction.

I am Mrs Delin Shecekedi,a former parliament member in the regime of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of Republic of Sierra Leone before he was ousted in a military coup in May 25th 1997 by Major Johnny Paul Koroma and the wife of late Major.Shecekedi, who died last year,we are presently in exile here in Banjul,The Republic of Gambia.I want to buy real estate properties worth $15 million US dollars in your country or any other part of the world,in order to secure the future of my son.The real estate can be residential,commercial,industral,hotel building or shopping center.I am writing to know if you can locate and purchase viable properties for me and also manage it until I leave Africa.

Presently I can not travel out of the continent but if you can locate,purchase and manage the properties then I will invite you to visit me here in the Gambia immediately to sign a written agreement with me as my real estate/manager. I will release the investment fund to you so that you can purchase the properties on my behalf,in accordance to my instructions after which my son will visit you to inspect the properties. I will offer you 20% commission of the total investment fund and additional 5% for any expenses which you might incure as a result of this transaction, including travelling, accommodation and other sundry expenses.

So if you can handle the business properly, write me immediately with full details of the available properties and its prices and also furnish me with your phone number. By virtue of my position,you should protect my interest in the business,and treat the business with absolute confidentiality because I do not want the Government to know about the money, because the money we want to use for the investment was made by my late husband during his tenure in the office and the fund was kept in a sealed box with a private securities and finance company here as a family treasures for security reasons.I am looking forward to your immediate reply.

Thanks in anticipation,

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs Delin Shecekedi

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam