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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.

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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:
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "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: "koffi yapi" <koffiyapi001@msn.com>
Reply-To: koffi001yapi@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 11:54:38 +0000
Subject: FROM KOFFI YAPI

>From Koffi Yapi
Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire.

Dearest,

Greetings in the name of our Almighty God .I am Koffi Yapi from Sierra
Leone.

I am writing you from Rep of Cote 'Ivoire where we Have been taking refuge
after the brutal war and Murder of our parents by the rebels during the
renewed Fighting in our country Sierra Leone.

Because of the war our late Father sold his shipping company and took us to
a nearby country Cote d'Ivoire where he deposited US$18, 300,000.00
Million(Eighteen Million Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in
his foreign account with one of the bank here in Cote d'Ivoire.

Please, We have prayed before contacting you with the trust in God that you
will be of help to me and my sister who is seriously sick now coupled with
the current political situation in this country now, We are seeking for your
assistance to transfer this Money to your account for a good investment
Project in your country and also relocate to your country with my younger
sister to further our study.

We are willing to offer you 15% of the total sum for Your assistance. Please
for your good information this transaction is 100% risk free and in no way
connected with any illegal transaction, Please Help us to get out of this
terrible situation and our Almighty God will bless you.

Please, Kindly respond immediately you get this mail for more discussion so
that I can give you the contact of the bank where the total money is.

Best Regards,

Koffi Yapi

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam