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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "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)
  • "keep it confidential" (they don't want anyone to point out to you that this is a scam)
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was sent to thousands of people)
• 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.
  • stevenappiah456@yahoo.co.uk
  • stevenappiah001@excite.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Steven=20Appiah?= <stevenappiah456@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: stevenappiah001@excite.com
Date: Tue, 16 May 2006 12:03:04 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Your Kind Attention!


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: stevenappiah456@yahoo.co.uk

Name: Steven Appiah

Address: Project Implementation

Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources

B612/8 Musuli Lane,

Accra, Greater Accra,

Ghana.

E-mail: stevenappiah001@excite.com




Dear Sir/Madam,


It is my pleasure to write this letter to you. First, I must ask your utmost confidentiality in this transaction by virtue of it being utterly confidential. I am Mr. Steven Appiah a member of the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) who was with the government delegation to europe during a bilateral trade conference. I have decided to seek your assistance and co-operation in the execution of a business transaction described here under for the benefit of all parties and hope that you keep it confidential because of the nature of the Transaction. We basically seek your assistance to front in the transfer of US$30,500,000.00(Thirty Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only).


Source: I work as a Director of Project Implementation within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and with co-operation of three other top officials, we have in our possession an overdue payment in US funds. The said funds represents certain percentage of the contract value executed on behalf of my Ministry by a foreign contracting firm, which we the officials over-invoiced by a total amount of US$30,500,000.00 (Thirty Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). Though the actual contract cost has been paid to the original contractor, leaving the excess balance unclaimed. But by virtue of us being civil servants we cannot acquire this fund in our names, Therefore I was delegated as a matter of trust by my colleagues to look for an overseas partner into whose account we would transfer the funds hence we are writing you this letter.


Our government is determined to pay foreign contractors all debts owed so as to maintain continued good relations with both the foreign governments and non government financial agencies. We have decided to include our bills for approval with the co-operation of some officials at the Department of Finance and the Central Bank of Ghana (CBG).We hereby seek your assistance to act as the beneficiary of the unclaimed funds since we are not allowed to operate a foreign account. You will provide us with a good front and partnership to process the remittance of the money to you as a form of contract payment. This process will be an internal arrangement with the departments concerned and we will handle this here, your duty is to act as the contractor and have the contract sum paid to you. I have the authority of my partners to invite you into this matter and with your acceptance of our invitation, your share as compensation will be 30%, and 70% will be for us.


The business itself is 100% safe, fail proof and risk-free, provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and you follow my instructions carefully and religiously. Your area of business specialization does not matter as it cannot hinder the successful execution of this transaction. I hope I can put my confidence in you in this matter. Please contact me on my private email: stevenappiah001@excite.com to indicate your willingness and capability to assist us.


Thank you for your anticipated co-operation and I await the receipt of your message to enable me bring you into the complete picture of the transaction.


Yours faithfully,

Steven Appiah.

- Steven Appiah

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam