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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
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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. )
  • "million 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)
  • "00,000.00" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "romina ahmed" <ahmedromina1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: romina_ahmed@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2008 16:04:54 +0000
Subject: From Romina Ahmed,


*From Romina Ahmed,*
**
*My name is Romina Ahmed 18 years of age the only daughter of late oil
dealer Alhaji Ahmed Kone from Iraq.My late father was killed by a suicide
bomber on the 16th day of march 2004 on his way to Bagdad.*
**
*Since the invasion of my beloved country Iraq by the Americans things has
completely falling apart.I am contacting you in respect of the total sum of
$15,000,000.00(Fifteen Million Dollars) which my late father deposited on
the custody of a security company in West Africa Cote D'Ivoire.He deposited
this money during one of his visit there.*
*Before his untimely death he handed over to me the certificate of deposit
and the agreement he made with the security company on the day the box was
deposited.Before of the war in my country I cannot go out from Iraq but now
resides in Abidjan.I am contacting you to help me in contacting the security
company for the release and delivery of the box in your country for
investment.*
**
*For the proper security of the box my late father deposited the box as
FAMILY VALUABLES and not as money.For your assistance in this transaction I
have decided to give you the 30% of the total amount and apart from this you
are going to be incharge of any investment we shall go into.*

*Because of the war in my country,the only means of communication now is
through email.I am seriously praying and waiting to get a positive and
sincere response from you.*
**
*Thanks and May ALLAH be with you.
Yours Sincerely,
Romina Ahmed.*

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam