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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:
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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:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "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.
  • koffiandre38@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3akoffiandre38@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: "koffiandre Gazeta.pl" <koffiandre@gazeta.pl>
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:14:05 +0200
Subject: TRANSFER OF US$14,000,000


From:Koffi Andre
Cotonou Rep-Du Benin
Reply to;
Email:koffiandre38@yahoo.com <Email%3Akoffiandre38@yahoo.com>

Dear Sir,

TRANSFER OF US$14,000,000

It is obvious that this proposal will come to you as a surprise. This is
because we have not meet before but i am inspired to send you this email by
the huge fund transfer opportunity that will be of mutual benefit to both of
us.

First Let me start by introducing myself properly to you.I am KOFFI ANDRE
,Credit officer TRUST FINANCIAL COMPANY here in cotonou.I believe that you
will not betrayed me at last with the trust i intend putting on you now.


A foreigner,an Arab,Late Engr.MAHMUD ALI IBRAHIM (snr)An iron steel company
chairman with the Federal Government here in Benin until his death some
years ago in an Auto crash and he Deposited with us some amount of money
worth S$14,000,000(Fourteen million United States Dollars),the company now
expects a next of kin as beneficiary of this money and Valuable efforts are
being made by TRUST FINANCIAL COMPANY to get in touch with any of the
MAHMUD ALI'S family or relatives but to no avail.


It is because of the perceived possibility of not being able to locate any
of Late Engr MAHMUD ALI IBRAHIM (snr)'s next of kin (he had no wife or
children that is known to us).The management under the influence of our
chairman and members of the board of directors,have made arrangements for
the fund to be declared Unclaimed and subsequently be used to import
ammunitions into our country.


However,In order to avert this negative development,some of my trusted
colleagues and I,now seek your permission to have you stand as next of kin
to late Engr MAHMUD ALI IBRAHIM (snr) so that the fund US$14,000,000 will be
released and transferred into your account as the beneficiary.


All documents and proofs to enable you get this fund has been carefully
worked out.We have secured from the probate an order of mandamus to locate
any of the deceased beneficiaries, and more so, we are assuring you that
this business is legal and risk free involvement. Your share remains while
the rest will be for myself and my colleagues for investment purposes
anywhere according to agreement between we and your goodself.


we would furnish you with the necessary disbursement ratio to suite both
parties on your receipt to this mail.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not hasitate to contact me.


Looking forward to your urgent response.

Koffi Andre.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam