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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:
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - that's what the scam is about)
  • "million 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)
  • "sani abacha" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • abachasawoe@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Idrissa Abacha" <abachasawoe@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2006 15:24:04 +0000
Subject: urgent


Dear Sir,
I know you will be surprised to receive this business proposal. I send you this proposal based on the good information and recommendation given to me by the chamber of commerce and industry, with guarantee of your reliability and trustworthiness in business.
I am Mallam IDRIS ABACHA, group managing director of ABACHA HOLDINGS LTD owned by the late General SANI ABACHA, former head of state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who incidentally is my half brother. Our company is into diversified holdings with major stake in Oil, Steel and agriculture.
MY PROPOSAL:
Through the record we have, my brother left a total sum of US$65,000,000.00 (Sixty-five million United States Dollars). And 250kg of gold in bonded crates with a security company based in Cotonou, republic of Benin (West Africa).
We have successfully lifted the fund from Cotonou to the Netherlands and have been secured in a secured vault for security reasons. However, the actual content of the consignment case was never disclosed to the security company. The case was labeled “Family treasured consignment”. The 250KG Gold is still with the security company in Cotonou. We plan to ship it to Europe for safe keeping in the future.
I am writing you this letter to ask for your full assistance in the area of investment, especially with real estate investment in your country where my family and I intend to reside finally. Have in mind that this transaction is practically 100% risk free and will be pursued with open transparency; however, it must be done in a very confidential matter for security reasons as we do not want the family name dragged in the mud.
Upon the completion of this transaction, you will be compensated with 20% of the money while 5% will be set aside for incidental expense that may be incurred in the course of this transaction, the balance of 75% of the fund will be invested in your country.
The sudden death of my half brother General Abacha left us with so many financial lose ends giving room to his former associates to misappropriate his wealth. The ongoing crusade for confiscation/seizure of all our traceable assets/funds by the present government pose a real cause of concern to we members of the ABACHA family, hence the urgency to find a safe heaven to invest the funds.
If you are interested in assisting me to invest this fund, you should then contact me by mail via: abachasawoe@yahoo.com
NOTE: This is a very confidential and must be treated with strict confidence.
Looking forward to your kind assistance.
Best regards,
MALAM IDRIS ABACHA

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam