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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.TESSY OKOPI" <tessy_okopi@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2005 18:49:05 +0000
Subject: A CRY FOR URGENT HELP

DEAR BELOVED,

I, DO HOPE YOU RECEIVED MY PREVIOUS LETTER WHICH I SENT TO YOU THROUGH A REGISTERED EXPRESS POST LATE LAST MONTH? I HAVE DECIDED TO RECONTACT YOU ONCE AGAIN THROUGH THIS FAST MEANS OF COMMUNICATION SINCE I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU DUE TO THE URGENCY THAT IS INVOLVED IN OTHER TO HAVE ME AND MY DAUGTHER RESCURE FROM OUR PRESENT PLACE OF OUR HIDEOUT.

I, AM VERY SORRY THAT I CAN NOT EXPRESS MY REASONS REGARDING MY CONTACTING YOU AS AT MOMENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM IN A HIDE OUT WITH MY ONLY DAUGTHER NAMED (FAITH), AS I HAVE JUST LOST MY HUSBAND IN A HASTLY MOTOR ACCIDENT THAT TOOK HIS LIFE TWO WEEKS AGO ON THEIR WAY TO THE OPENING CEREMONY OF OUR NEWLY COMPLETED FRUIT JUICE PROCESSING COMPANY, AND RIGHT AS I WRITE YOU THIS MAIL MY FAMILY MEMBERS ARE ALL HUNTING FOR MY LIFE BECAUSE OF THE CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT OF A VERY LARGE SUM OF MONEY THAT HE DEPOSITED IN AFRICAN BANK IN ABIDJAN CAPITAL CITY OF COTE D'IVOIRE ON ONE OF HIS RECENT VISIT EARLY LAST YEAR.

PLEASE, DO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME IMMEDIATELY SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS TO REGARD, AS I AM ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR YOUR RESPONSE SO THAT I CAN SEND YOU THE CONTACT OF THE AFRICAN BANK WHERE THE MONEY IS EXSTING.BELOVED, I AM PRESENTLY IN A HIDE IN COTE D'IVOIRE WITH MY DAUGTHER WITH ALL THE DOCUMENTS AND I AM PLANING ALSO TO HAVE MY HUSBAND LAWYER CONTACTED TO THIS REGARDS HENCE HE IS ALSO IN THIS CONTARY, SO THAT I CAN SEND TO YOU ALL THE AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS AREADY IN MY POSITION AS SOON AS I HEAR FROM YOU FOR THE FUND TO BE RELEASED TO YOUR CUSTODY ON MY BEHALF.

AND I WOULD WANT YOU TO PLEASE MAKE PROVISION FOR ME AND MY DAUGTHER TO COME
OVER TO MEET WITH YOU OVERTHERE AFTER YOU MUST HAVE RECEIVED THE MONEY FROM THE BANK.BELOVED I WAIT FOR YOUR URGENT CONTACT FOR US TO
BE FREE FROM THE HANDS OF THE WICKED FAMILY .

REMAIN BLESS
MRS TESSY

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam