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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "dear beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "hundred thousand united states 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)
  • ",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)
  • "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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "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: "Susan Mills" <tourismorg1@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: susanmills@ippimail.com
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:51:25 +0100
Subject: GOD HELP US


Dear Beloved, I hope you are having a nice day, forgive me if you take your
emails private but I have to seek for your thoughts and possible action on a
matter of great benefit to both parties and a charity body I run privately.

Publicly I am the branch manager for BPI Bank, Spintex Road branch and my
religious position as a Christian woman of virtue also led me to the matron
ship of a children orphanage foundation New Birth Orphanage.

I need your participation in the genuine transfer of funds which was
sourced from tax break granted my branch by the local government office
where my branch of the bank operates, this tax breaks where privately
negotiated by my person and the bank head office is not aware of it, the
financial year has just ended and I have already submitted an approved End
of the Year accounts report for the year ended 2007 to my Regional Head
Office here in Tema and they will never know of this Excess funds from the
tax breaks.

I have since then, placed this amount of USD 2,500,000.00 (Two Million Five
hundred Thousand United States Dollars) on a SUSPENCE ESCROW ACCOUNT without
a beneficiary. My intention now is to conclude the overseas transfer of
these funds with your assistance, resign my position at the bank and utilize
60% of the funds to run the orphanage/foundation, you will keep 40%.

Off course as an official of this bank and civil servant I cannot own or
operated a foreign account and cannot be directly involved with this money
in the Escrow account but will guide you towards making a successful claim
of the funds, there is no risk involved as it will be a normal swift bank to
bank transfer.

This is no hoax or joke, respond for further details/proof of proposition.
Remain Blessed.

Miss Susan Mills

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam