419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

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:
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- missgrace.mitchel@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Miss Grace Mitchel <han_ag200@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 20:58:26 +0000
Subject: =?windows-1256?Q?Desire_Of_?= =?windows-1256?Q?Your_Assis?=
=?windows-1256?Q?tance=FE=FE?=

Hello Dear,

Sorry if i have intruded into your privacy, life and death forced me to send you this urgent massage.

I
am from the family of Jean Claude Mitchel, my father is the head of
cocoa industry whom Laurent Gbagbo used to finance his activities to
preserved his grip on power but unfortunately things turn upside down
when our house was attacked and burn in city of Duekoue.

There i
lost my entire family, mother and two brothers, one week after i found
my father in the hospital but before his death, he inform me about his
secured sum of US$6,500.000 (Six Million five hundred thousand united
state dollars and i was warned to look for a foreign partner and leave
the country for my future live.

I am sincerely desire of your
assistance if you can be trustworthy to secure the legacy process on my
behalf, you can also reach me through this my email address
missgrace.mitchel@yahoo.com

Yours Sincerely,
Miss Grace Mitchel

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam