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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:
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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:

• 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:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand u.s 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)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • promisbig_5obi@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: promisbig obi <promisbig_5obi@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: linda_obi_2006@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:10:33 +0100 (CET)
Subject: MY Dearest one,


Email:promisbig_5obi@yahoo.fr
From:promisbig obi
Abidjan Cote d'ivoire
West Africa

Dearest one,

How are you today? My Name is Miss promisbig Obi I am 19 years old age girl.and also send me your direct email and your telephone number to reach you. It is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I intend to establish in your country. Though I have not meet with you before but I believe, one has to risk confiding in succeed sometimes in life. There is this huge amount of Fifteen million five hundred thousand U.S dollars ($15.5m) which my late Father Mr.promis Obi kept for me in one of the suspense account here in Abidjan before he was assassinated by unknown persons during this war in Cote d'ivoire.

Now I have decided to invest this money in your country or anywhere safe enough outside Africa for security and political reasons. I want you to help and assist me claim and retrieve this fund from the Bank and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment purposes on these areas:

1). Telecommunication
2). The Transport Industry
3). Five Star Hotel

If you can be of an assistance to me I will be pleased to offer to you 20% of the total
fund. I await your soonest response.

Respectfully yours,

promisbig obi


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam