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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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 - 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. )
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Mary Kambili" <mrsmary_kambili@gala.net>
Reply-To: mrsmarykambili@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:21:47 +0200
Subject: My late husband Estate


My Dear blessed in the lord,


I crave your indulgence at this mail coming from somebody you have not
known before but I believe I have been destined to be of blessing to you and
the less privileged.

I am Mrs.Mary Kambili widow to former Benin counselor in France Mr.Peter
Kambili. I am presently in a hospital where I am under going treatment for I
have been recently been diagnosed of Cancer of the Pelvics as I've been told
that I have not much time to live.

There is this fund ( $3.7M ) One million,seven hundred thousand united
states of America dollars in $100 notes which my late husband deposited with
a security company in Cotonou, Republic of Benin as family treasure which I
happen to be the sole next of kin.

With my present health condition and because my husband and I have no
children.His family members have vowed to have me dead after forcefully
taken all that I and my late husband acquired in the name of tradition.

All that now left for me now is this fund ( $3.7M ) which he deposited with
the security company so I now decide to hand over the fund to you on the
condition that you will take 30% of the fund for yourself, while you will
use the remaining 70% for the less privilege people in the society.


This is in fulfillment of the last request of my husband that a substantial
part of the fund be used to carter for the less privileged,since I could no
longer be able to carry out his last wish due to my health condition,I now
seek for your consent to pass this task to you.

If you find it in your heart to assist a poor widow fulfill the last wish of
her late husband, you should contact me immediately.

I cannot predict what will be my fate by the time you Will receive the fund,
but you should please ensure that the fund is used as I have described
above.


I rest my words here as I look forward to your urgent and kind response.

Yours,

Mrs.Mary Kambili.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam