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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
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "cotonou" (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.
  
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • frank_osademe_o@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: "frank osademe" <frank_osademe01@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 01:50:23 +0000
Subject: THANK GOD I FOUND YOU.

ATTENTION:MY GOOD FRIEND.

MY NAME IS MR FRANK OSADEME,A MEMBER OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL
CRIMES COMMISSION OF NIGERIA(EFCC)UNDER THE HELM OF RTD POLICE OFFICER
MALLAM NUHU RIBADU.

OUR COMMISSION IS SADDLED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF UPENDING THOSE
CONTRACTORS WHO FAILED TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS AWARDED THEM AND THOSE WHO ARE
INVOLVED IN MONEY LAUNDERING.

RECENTLY,WE UPENDED ONE SENATOR IBRAHIM GWARZO,A MEMBER OF THE SENATE
COMMITTEE,RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AWARDING OF CONTRACTS,WHO AWARDED A GHOST
CONTRACT WORTH $22,545,000M USD TO A GHOST CONTRACTOR AND DECLARED THE
CONTRACT A FAILED ONE,WITH A VIEW TO KEEPING THE MONEY TO HIMSELF.

MR GWARZO THEN PROCEEDED TO PAY THIS MONEY INTO AN ACCOUNT IN COTONOU IN THE
NAME OF A FOREIGNER.(NAME OF BANK WITHELD FOR SECURITY REASONS).

VIEWING THIS AS OUR TIME OF FORTUNE,I AND THREE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION
KEPT THIS AS A SECRET TO OURSELVES AND DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU,YOU MAY SAY
THOSE THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO QUASH CRIMES ARE GETTING INVOLVED THEMSELVES,I AM
SORRY TO SAY THIS IT IS BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY SITUATION IN MY COUNTRY AND I
HAVE GOT KIDS TO RAISE.

I AM A HONEST AND DEVOUT CHRISTIAN,BUT THIS KIND OF OPPORTUNITY ONLY AVAILS
ITSELF ONCE IN A LIFE TIME,SO WE HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE GOOD USE OF IT.

WE CONTACTED YOU IN ORDER TO PRESENT YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS SAID
ACCOUNT,BECAUSE THIS MONEY CAN ONLY BE REMITTED TO A FOREIGNER,WHICH WILL
ENABLE YOU TO CLAIM THIS MONEY AFTER WE MUST HAVE PRESENTED YOU AS THE
BONAFIDE ACCOUNT OWNER TO THE BANK IN COTONOU,THROUGH OFFICIAL PROTOCOL.

PLEASE NOTIFY ME OF YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO CARRY OUT THIS TRANSACTION,THROUGH MY
EMAIL ADDRESS AND PROVIDE ME WITH YOUR FULL CONTACT INFORMATION.

I SHALL IN TURN INFORM YOU OF THE MODALITIES TO SECURE THE NECESSARY
APPROVALS FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THIS FUND.

AGAIN LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT RISK INVOLVEMENT IN THIS DEAL HAVE BEEN
PROPERLY HANDLED BEFORE CONTACTING YOU.

FURTHERMORE THE SHARING RATIO AFTER THIS DEAL IS DONE GOES THUS:60% FOR ME
AND MY COLLEAGUES;35% FOR YOU AND 5% FOR EXPENSES INCURRED DURING THE COURSE
OF THIS TRANSACTION.
THIS TRANSACTION WILL ONLY TAKE TWENTY-ONE(21) WORKING DAYS.
YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT ME VIA THE EMAIL BELOW:

frank_osademe_o@yahoo.co.uk

RESPECTFULLY,
MR FRANK OSADEME.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam