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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Helen Lamine" <helenlamine1@centrum.sk>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:09:49 +0200
Subject: From Helen Lamine

From Helen Lamine
Abidjan Cote D' Ivoire West Africa
Phone number :+22505270965


Dear Friend,

WITH THE BEST COMPLIMENTS OF THE YEAR,

I wish to solicit your help in migrating to your country, my names is Helen Lamine are the wife of Late Dr SIMON LAMINE the former Director of military inteligence and special acting General Manager of the Sieria Leone Diamond mining coperation(SLDMC ).

Before my husband died, he told me that he deposited 45.5 million US dollars in a 2 trunk boxes in the of my son MICHAEL as containing family valuables money so I am contacting you to seek your good ssistance to assist me release boxes from the Security Company and invest the money belonging to my late husband which is deposited in a Security Company in Abidjan. This money is revenues from solid minirals and dimonds sale which were under my husband possession before the civil war broke out.

Following the brake out of the war, almost all government offices, coperations and parastatals were attacked and vandalized. The SLDMC was loothed and burnt down to ashes, and diamonds worth millions of dollars was stolen by the rebel military forces who attacked my husband office.

Many top government officials and senior army officers were assasinated and my husband was a key target because of his very sensitive military possition and appointment in the SLDMC. Regreatably, my husband was captured and murdered along with half brother in cool blood during a mid-night rebel shoot-out when our official residence in freetown was armbushed by Fordey Sanko the notorious rebel leader.

That we should pray and find a trustworthy foreign business partner who would help us to invest this money in profitable business venture overseas.

I and my son have gone to the Security Company to make inquires about this deposit and we spoke with the Company concerning the deposit that we will come for the boxes once we have a foreign partner.

If you are willing to assist me, please let me know immediately so that I will send you all the documents concerning the deposit. Please note that we can only offer you 20% of the total money as compensation for your noble assistance in accodiance with my husband advise.

We are interested in any profitable commercial venture which you consider very good in your country and you would also get a school for my son Michael.

I hoping to hear your urgent response so that I can not look for another foreign partner.

Thank you and may God bless you and your dear family.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Helen Lamine

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