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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
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• 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:

• 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:
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "to your nominated bank account" (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)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • mezra206@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Michael Ezra." <michaezra@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mezra206@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2006 01:50:14 +0000
Subject: READ,UNDERSTAND.AND ANSWER IN REPLY.

From: The ACCOUNTANT.
International Commercial Bank.
First Light Branch,
Accra - Ghana.
West Africa.

ATTN:My Dear,

My name is Mr. Michael Ezra. I am the accountant of the International Commercial Bank-Ghana, First Light Branch Accra. I am a Ghanaian married with three kids. I am writing to solicit your assistance in the noble transfer of US$14,800,000.00 (Fourtheen million, eight hundred thousand U.S.dollars). This fund is the excess of what my branch in which I am the accountant made as profit during the last year. I have already submitted an approved end of the last year report for the year 2005 to my Head Office here in Accra and they will never know of this Excess.I have since then, placed this amount of US$14,800,000.00 (Fourtheen million, eight hundred thousand U.S. dollars) on a SUSPENCE ACCOUNT without a beneficiary.

As an officer of the bank, I cannot be directly connected to this money thus I am impelled to request for your assistance to receive this money into your bank account.

I intend to part 30% of this fund to you while 70% shall be for me. I do need to stress that there are practically no risk involved in this. It is going to be a bank-to-bank transfer to your nominated bank account anywhere you feel safer. All I need from you is to stand as the original depositor of this fund.

Frankly speaking I have been working in this bank for close to 10 years and I have nothing to show for it,my yearly income is barely about $3,500 USD after tax and the major reason I packaged this transaction is that I have a 9 year old daughter with leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant or she will die. I have already made arrangement for this surgery in the UK but I could not afford it, so I really need your help to do this deal or my daughter will die.

I am offering you 30% of the total sum after this money is wired to your account, because it is a simple bank-to-bank inheritance claim transfer.I will also like you to get me rest assured that you will not abandon me when the money gets to your account.I have all the payment claim information worked out. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal Through.

Please i will like you to answer me this questions.
(1)Can a black man build a house in your country and invest there?
(2)Can a black man be given staying permit and be allowed to visit sight seen?
(3)Can i direct any company of my own?

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the trasfer.Your prompt response via my email is highly envisaged;your response will make me act accordingly upon the receipt of your mail. I will be waiting to hear from you for further guidelines. If you accept this offer, I will appreciate your timely response.

Bye for now and thanks for your understanding.

Best regards,
Mr. Michael Ezra.

Note:You answer me through my alternative e-mail
address(mezra206@yahoo.co.uk)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam