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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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.

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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Thomas Acquah <thomasacquah02@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: thomas_acquah02@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:19:50 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Thank you for your reply


Dear Friend,
=A0
I got your contact through a personal search and I have this strong persona=
l conviction that you can handle this transaction perfectly on my behalf; a=
lso I believed that you will assist me to invest my own share in a lucrativ=
e business in your country. I am Mr.Thomas Acquah, a branch manager with a =
bank here in Ghana.=20

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us. As a =
branch manager with the bank, it's my duty to send financial reports to my =
head office in the capital city of Accra-Ghana. On the course of the 2007 e=
nd of the year's report, my branch in which I am the manager made Five mill=
ion eight hundred and fifty thousand united state dollars ($5,850,000.00) o=
f which my head Office is not aware of and will never be aware of have sinc=
e then PLACED this fund on NON-RESIDENT ACCOUNT without a beneficiary.
=A0
As a Manager with the bank, I cannot be directly connected to this money th=
us I am compelled to request for your assistance to receive this money into=
your bank account intend to part with 30% of this fund to you as gratifica=
tion while 70% shall be for me but I need your own opinion on this. If you =
accept my offer, contact me immediately for more details.

NOTE: There are practically no risk involve in this transaction. It will be=
a bank-to-bank transfer. All I need from you is to stand as the original d=
epositor of this fund and provide an account where this money will be trans=
ferred into.
=A0
I will appreciate your immediate reply for more details and the next step t=
o follow for the success of this transaction.
=A0
With Regards,
Mr.Thomas Acquah.=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam