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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
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "million us 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)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • mariatu_fofan@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MARIATU FOFANAH <mfofanah24@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <mariatu_fofan@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:01:13 -0400
Subject: Dear Friend,



Dear Friend,
First I must solicit your strictest confidence in thistransaction and I pray that my contacting you will be given genuineapproval considering the fact that we don't know each other before. Iwish to use this opportunity to introduce myself to you. I am Mariatu Fofanah, I am writing to inform you of my desire to invest in your country.
I am the first daughter of Late Mr. Joseph Fofanah whowas the former Diamond Board Director of Sierra Leone my father wasattacked by the R U F rebels on his way to Bo Region a Northern Part ofSierra Leone, and my father sustained injuries and he died three days later.
Before he died he revealed to me about the two boxes containing$150 million US dollars. Which he deposited with a security company inGhana for safe keeping. My father did not disclose the content of theboxes to the security company. To avoid the officials from raising eyebrows.
Presently I and my brother are here in Ghana to notify thesecurity company of the claims, and we are staying in the refugee camp. Therefore I want you to lecture me on how best we can invest this moneyin your country, because my late father told me that it is dangerousto invest in Africa to avoid suspicions, and due to market instabilitiescoupled with economic and political situation facing Africa, for yourassistance my self and my brother have agreed to offer you 20% of thetotal amount of the money as your commission.
We have all the vitaldocuments covering the deposit and the ownership which I can send toyou.
Note, I have never disclosed this transaction to anybody apartfrom you. So please keep it very very confidential. I will await yourresponse.
mariatu_fofan@yahoo.com Best regards. Mariatu Fofanah.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam