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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "escrow account with no beneficiary" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "inland revenue" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: ERIC JOHN <eric_johnm9@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 14:59:46 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: If you agree to assist me


Dear Friend,

My name is Mr. Eric John I work with the Barclay's Bank Ghana Ltd. as the Regional manager, Koforidua Branch, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. I got your information during a Bankers’ Quarterly Forum with other African Countries, held in Lome, the capital city of Togo, in West Africa. I write you this letter in good faith.

I am 47 years old with four kids. I have packaged a transaction that will be of mutual benefit to us. As the branch manager of Barclay's Bank Ghana Ltd., it is my duty to send a financial report to my head office in the capital city, Accra, at the end of each financial year.

Following the release of the mid-term financial report, (August 2006), I discovered that my branch made four Million United States Dollars ($4,000,000.00); from the transactions accruing to the account of the Inland Revenue Service (IRS) which my head office will never be aware of because it was not detected by the audit department from the head office.

I have diverted the funds into what the bank call Escrow Account with no beneficiary. As the branch manager of this bank, I cannot be directly connected to this money, so my contacting you is to assist me receive the funds in your bank account in your country and get 30% of the total funds as your benefit.

If you agree to assist me, I will immediately program your full information in our database computer system here in Koforidua branch as an Escrow Call Account holder/depositor in Barclay's Bank Ghana Ltd. All I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of this fund.

Do not make undue the advantage of the trust I have bestowed on you, and I assure you we can achieve it successfully.

Thanks for your co-operation in advance.

Warm Regard,
Mr. Eric John

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam