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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "huge amount of money" (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)
  • "await your urgent response" (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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: James Onovo <jamesonovo2@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: <jonovo@Safe-mail.net>
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:03:37 +0100
Subject: INVESTMENT


Dear Sir/Madam,
Firstly, I will crave your indulgence trust and confidentiality before I introduce myself to you. My name is James Onovo the elderly son of late Engr. Justus Onovo, Who died unexpectedly in Kerosene explosion with my younger brother and two of my sisters here in Accra-Ghana.
Before my father died, he deposited huge amount of money (SIX MILLION, TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) under security/Finance vault here in West Africa. And this funds was kept for family investment without knowing that he will die unexpectedly. And since the death of my father, I was unable take care of my school fees here in the University of Accra-Ghana because the fund deposited with security/finance company was meant for our family investments abroad.
However, my mother was discharged from Accra General Hospital last week for breast cancer. With this situation my mother now decide that we should solicit for assistance from a foreigner who will be of assistance to Onovo's family in other for us to claim this funds with security/finance company and transfer it to your account as our foreign beneficiary.
My mother and I have agreed to compensate you with 25% of the total sum, 5% for any expense you will incure before the smooth conclusion of the project and the remaining 70% will be for my family which we will intend to invest in buying shares from big company’s and land and properties in your country.
We assured you 100% risk free on this transaction, and will want you to treat this transaction very confidential till we conclude this project. If you are willing to assist us on this transaction get back to me very quickly and with your full names,address,occupation and phone number, so that I will send you the receipt of deposit and give you information of the security/finance company to enable you communicate them.
I await your urgent response.
Regards,
James Onovo.For Onovo's family.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam