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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "million us 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)
  • "hundred thousand us 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)
  • "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Edward." <personal1945@yahoo.ca>
Reply-To: info_abra@yahoo.ca
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:00:01 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Can you assist me


Nice to meet you,

I write you this proposal in good faith and hope that you will be of assistance. Am a banker here in Ghana. In 2000 Mr. Christian Goetz a German citizen and businessman, made a fixed deposit for 60 calendar months, valued at Fourteen Million, Six hundred Thousand US Dollars (US$14,600,000.00) with my bank. I was his account officer before I rose to the position of manager. The maturity date for this deposit contract was 20th of January 2005. I have tried my possible best to locate Mr. Goetz to notify him about this, but all my efforts proved abortive. I later discovered that Mr. Christian Goetz and his wife were involved in the plane crash of CONCORDE AIRLINE [Flight AF4590], which crashed on 25TH JULY 2000 in France. You shall read more news about the crash on visiting this site, which I got during my investigation;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
Now, a new Financial Law, which takes effect in two month? time, here in Ghana stipulates that any bank account more than $5,000,000.00 [Five Million US Dollars] will be investigated and the bank shall produce the account owner for clearance. This is a Government measure to check money laundering. Since the account has no named beneficiary and I cannot directly connected to this money, is why am request for your assistance to receive this money into your bank account. I intend to part with 70% for me and 30% for you. No risk involved in this. Treat as top secret I am the only person having this information.
Phone +233 24979O714.

Thanks,
Edward.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam