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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.

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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:
  • "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. Never ever send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally. )
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • mellisa2007coleman@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mellisa228 Gazeta.pl" <mellisa228@gazeta.pl>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:45:48 +0000
Subject: From Mrs. Mellisa Coleman.


From Mrs. Mellisa Coleman.
Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire.
Dearest I am Madam. Mellisa Coleman from Sierra-leone. the wife of Late
Dr.Steven Coleman of blessed memory. My late husband was the chairman of
Sierra Leonean Diamond Corporation.
My husband was killed along with my three children in our Freetown residence
while I was out. They were assassinated by Unknown Gunmen that was sent by
the Rebel leader, Now I am left with only my last son David. I was terrified
of the situation and because of this I escaped with my son David from Sierra
- Leone to the neighbouring country which is Cote D'Ivoire.brought along the
sum of u.s$12.5 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 are in refugee camp in Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire and we cannot go
back to Sierra- Leone because of the situation there. We are prepared to
offer you 10% 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 .
Finally I implore you to treat this transaction with secrecy and
confidentiality for security reasons .please rich me via this email(
mellisa2007coleman@yahoo.com)
Thanking you in anticipation and God bless.
Mrs Mellisa Coleman.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam