419 scam: Celine Johnson <celine.johnson1@btinternet.com> From: Mrs Celine Johnson

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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Celine Johnson <celine.johnson1@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: celine_johnson1989@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2010 09:59:00 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: From: Mrs Celine Johnson

From: Mrs Celine Johnson
Cote D'ivoire

Beloved one,

I greet you with all my heart.

It is true that this letter may come to you as a suprise, but nevertheless, i ask you to give me your attention and hear me well.

I am Mrs Celine Johnson from Cote D'ivoire, married to late David Johnson who was the executive accountant with the Cote D'ivoire ministry of resources and energy before he died after a brief illness.
During the period of our marriage we have only a son (Nelson Johnson) who is now sixteen years old.

I have a liver damage (Cancer) and i can't live longer than four months from now according to what my doctor told me.

When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of $13,800,000.00 USD (Thirteen Million Eight Hundred Thousand USA dollars) with a bank here in Abidjan Cote D'ivoire.
The money was registered under Fix deposit account.
Presently,the money is in custody of the bank.

I cannot think of any body else trying to kill me apart from my late husband brother in order to inherit the money because my son is only 16 years old.

All i need from you is to invest the fund for my only son,take care of him as your own son and give him a good education even when am no more.

I will issue a vital document that will prove you the right beneficiary of the fund in the bank here in Abidjan Cote Divoire.
After the transfer of the money into your bank account,my son shall relocate to your country to start a new life under your care.

I hope that you will not betray this trust if i change the deposit documents to your name and make you the new beneficiary..

If you can be of assisatance to my son,i will really appreciate it with all my heart.

This message is very urgent.

Remain blessed,
Mrs Celine Johnson.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam