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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.

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:
  • "dearest one," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "confidentiality of this transaction" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a orphan scam.
• 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.
  • richel17ramson@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Rachel Ramson" <rachel2ramson@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:58:24 +0000
Subject: From Rachel Ramson


From Rachel Ramson
Rue 6 BP 01 Villa 4,
Cocody Abidjan;
Cote D Ivoire.
richel17ramson@hotmail.com

Dearest one,

Compliments of the day, I apologize for approaching you in such a manner but
circumstances forced me to contact you and I believe that you would be
obliged to come to my assistance after hearing about my situation.

I was formerly a student of the University Of Abidjan, Cote D 'Ivoire, the
only surviving child of late Steven Ramson, my father was a politician and
also very wealthy cocoa merchant based in Abidjan, the economic capital of
Ivory Coast before he was poisoned to death by his business associates in
one of their outing to discuss on a business.

My mother died on June 1993, my father took me so special because I am
motherless, before the death of my father on October 2006, in a private
hospital here in Abidjan, he secretly called me on his bedside and told me
many things including a sum of US$5,500,000(five million five hundred
thousand, United States dollars) deposited in a suspense account with a bank
in Côte d'Ivoire, that he used my name as the only daughter for the next of
kin in deposit of the fund.

Furthermore, he said that the environment was not conducive for me that they
were after my life so I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my
choice where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose,
(such as real estate management) and finish my education.

I humbly need your assistance in the "following ways:
1) To help get this money transferred to you.
2) To serve as my guardian.
3) To make an arrangement for me to come over after this money is
transferred.
4) To look for a good venture where the money will be invested.

I will offer you a promising percentage which we will discuss when i get
your response.

Note that the confidentiality of this transaction would be highly
appreciated in replying soonest. You can get me back at
richel17ramson@hotmail.com.

Sincerely,
Rachel Ramson

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam