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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "please endeavor 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)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• 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.
  • ecobankltd.creditofficer@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "creditofficer@ecobank.org" <ecobankltd.creditofficer@yahoo.es>
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2007 08:54:55 GMT
Subject: FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION.

ECO BANK OF GHANA
RING ROAD BRANCH,
19, SEVENTH AVE, RIDGE WEST
PMB GPO ACCRA.
ACCRA, GHANA.
MR.JONATHAN KWAME.
CREDIT ACCOUNTS OFFICER

Let me start by introducing myself. I am Mr.Jonathan Owusu,
credit Accounts officer of the Eco Bank LTD. Ring RD Branch,
Accra, Ghana. I got your contact from the World Trade Center
(WTC) Regional office Accra, Ghana. Although the details of
my intention was not made known to them. Actually i listed
your name amongst four other names and prayed over them and
i decided to contact you directly. I have a concealed
business suggestion for you. Before the year 2005 bomb blast
that took place in United Kingdom our client General.Ibrahim
Moussa who was with the Iraq forces and also business man
made a numbered fixed deposit for 18 calendar months, with a
value of Twenty Five millions United State Dollars only in
my branch.

Upon maturity several notices was sent to him. Again after
the bomb blast another notification was sent and still no
response came from him. We later find out that the General
and his family had been killed during the bomb blast that
hit their home.

After further investigation it was also discovered that Gen.
Ibrahim Moussa did not declare any next of kin in his
official papers including the paper work of his bank
deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he was at
my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my
bank. So, Twenty Five millions United State Dollars is still
lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim
it. What bothers me most is that according to the laws of my
country at the expiration of 2 years the funds will revert
to the ownership of the Ghana Government if nobody applies
to claim the funds. Against this backdrop, my suggestion to
you is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand as the
next of kin to Gen. Ibrahim Moussa so that you will be able
to receive his funds.

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so
that we shall come out successful. I have contacted an
attorney that will prepare the necessary document that will
back you up as the next of kin to Gen. Ibrahim Moussa, all
that is required from you at this stage is for you to
provide me with your Full Names and Address so that the
attorney can commence his job.

After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will
also file in for claims on your behalf and secure the
necessary approval and letter of probate in your favor for
the movement of the funds to an account that will be
provided by you. There is no risk involved at all in this
matter as we are going to adopt a legalized method and the
attorney will prepare all the necessary documents. Please
endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters
concerning this issue.

Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank
account we shall share in the ratio of 70% for me, 25% for
you and 5% for any expenses incurred during the course of
this operation. Should you be interested please send me your
private phone and fax numbers for easy communication through
my private email address: ecobankltd.creditofficer@yahoo.es

I will provide you with more details of this operation. Your
earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Best Regards,
Mr. Jonathan Owusu.
Credit Account Officer
Email: ecobankltd.creditofficer@yahoo.es
ECO BANK LTD.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam