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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "mercy wilson" <ur1merceywilson@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:44:36 +0100
Subject: FROM MRS.MERCY WILSON


DEAR ONE,

MY NAME IS MRS MERCY WILSON, I WAS MARIED TO ONE DR.WILLIAM WILSON OF
ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE WEST AFRICA. WE WERE BOTH MARRIED FOR EIGHT YEARS
WITHOUT A CHILD MY HUSBAND DIED AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS THAT LASTED FOR ONLY
NINE DAYS. WHEN MY LATE HUSBAND WAS STILL ALIVE HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF
(TWENTY TWO MILLION FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S.D).IN A SECURITY COMAPNY HERE
IN ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE. AT THE POINT OF HIS DEATH HE TOLD ME OF THIS MONEY
AND INSTRUCTED ME TO LOOK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER WHO WILL HELP ME TRANSFER IT
OUT OF MY COUNTRY.

HE TOLD ME THAT I AM THE ONLY BENEFICIARY AS HE BELIEVES THAT HIS FAMILY WAS
BEHIND HIS ILLNESS. PRESENTLY, THIS MONEY IS STILL IN THE SECURITY COMPANY.
ACCORDING TO MY LATE HUSBAND THIS MONEY WAS DEPOSITED AND REGISTERED AS
FAMILY VALUABLES (CONSIGNMENT) FOR SECURITY REASONS. I WANT YOU TO HELP ME
RETRIEVE THIS BOX FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY AND TRANSFER IT TO YOUR COUNTRY
FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE. I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU FIFTEEN PERCENT OF THE
TOTAL SUM AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TRANSACTION. I WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU
URGENTLY WITH YOUR DIRECT PHONE NUMBER AND RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.

SINCERELY,
MRS.MERCY WILSON.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam