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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• 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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• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "escrow account with no beneficiary" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "contact me immediately" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
• 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.
  • williamsdavis_gh@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "DAVIS WILLIAMS" <williams88_gh@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 10:04:49 +0800
Subject: URGENT....

BARCLAYS BANK GHANA LTD, HIGH STREET BRANCH,
TAKORADI, GHANA.
DEAR ,
COMPLIMENT OF THE SEASON .
I GOT TO KNOW OF YOU IN SEARCH FOR A REPUTABLE AND RELIABLE PERSON TO
ASSIST ME IN THIS AN URGENT NEED REQUIRING UTMOST TRUST AND I DO
FORESEE THE SUPRISE THIS LETTER MAY BRING TO YOU AS IT COMES FROM
UNKNOWN PERSON,BUT BE REST ASSURED AS IT COMES WITH BEST OF INTENTION,
.
MY NAME IS MR DAVIS WILLIAMS , I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF
BARCLAYS BANK GHANA LTD,OF DAKAR BRANCH IN THE WESTERN
REGION OF TAKORADI. I WRITES YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD
FAITH, . THAT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND ,IAM MANAGER OF THE BARCLAYS BANK GHANA,
IT IS MY DUTY TO SEND IN A FINANCIAL REPORT TO MY HEAD
OFFICE IN THE CAPITAL CITY ACCRA AT THE END OF EACH
BUSINESS YEAR. ON THE COURSE
IAST YEAR BUSINESS REPORT, I
DISCOVERED THAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE
THREE MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS, ($3,000.000 USD) WHICH
MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF.
I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW ACCOUNT
WITH NO BENEFICIARY.
AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CAN NOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED
TO THIS MONEY ,IAM CONTACTING YOU TO STAND AND CLAM THE MONEY 30% OF THE FUND WOULD BE YOUR SHARE AT THE END OF THE TRANSACTION, PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED,AND REMEBER THAT FINANCIAL TRANSACTION IS GOING ON ALL OVER THE WORLD, IT WILL BE BANK TO BANK TRNSFER ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO APPLY AND CLAIM AS THE ORIGINAL DEPOSITOR OF THIS FUND EVERY DOCUMENT TO BACK YOUR CLAIM WOULD BE DULY PRESENTED TO YOU, SO THAT MY BANK CAN MAKE THE TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT AFTER THAT I COME OVER TO MEET YOU
PLEASE IF ANY QUESTION
CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AT. williamsdavis_gh@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam