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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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)
• 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.
  • okposo1964@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Veronica Okposo" <ishikawamisaki05@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 4 Jul 2006 07:03:01 +0100
Subject: URGENT RESPOND NEEDED

From Mrs.Veronica Okposo.
Dakar Senegal,West Africa.
Attn :

Based on the information I gathered about you from a very reliable
source, I am happy to send this message to you.
I hope you will consider and give it urgent and favourable reply. My
name is Mrs Veronica Okposo i 35 years,a citizen of Sierra - Leone , wife
of
late
Dr.Mahmood Usman, who before his death was the person managing the
Sierra -
Leone gold and diamond corporation( SGDC ) .

I hope you are aware of the war which has ravaged my country for the
past years now . It was in one of this attacks by the rebels that led
to
the death of my husband and three of my children , now I am left with
only my last son Ahmed. I was terrified of the situation and because of
this I escaped with my son Ahmed from Sierra - Leone to Dakar Senegal
into a refugee camp but brought along the sum of u.s$18.3 million , in
a
metallic box and presently in a security company as family valuables .

My aim of contacting you is to seek for your able assistance as a front
in transferring this fund abroad into an account , then as a business
developer , you can help us to invest wisely in areas you deem
lucrative
and finally obtain a residential permit for us to stay comfortable in
your country of abode .

Presently we cannot go back to Sierra- Leone because of the situation
there and you know that Senegal where we are now is politically
unstable; we therefore wish you could help us get out of here before it
become
worse.
We are prepared to offer you 20% of the total funds for your able
assistance and support and would send you proofs of the funds as soon
as we
favourably hear from you. True my private Email okposo1964@yahoo.com

Finally I implore you to treat this transaction with secrecy and
confidentiality for security reasons.
I Need Your Informetion's
HOME ADDRESS N;0.............................................
TELEPHONE NUMBER..........................................
FAX NUMBER.......................................................
YOUR FULL NAME..............................................
Thanking,
You in anticipation and Allah bless you.
Mrs Veronica Okposo.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam