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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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)
  • "from the desk of" (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)
  • "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)
  • "there are practically no risks involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "James Owusu" <jamesowusu57@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 17:19:10 +0100
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE


URGENT RESPONSE
From The Desk Of, Mr James Owusu.
Dear Friend,
My name is Mr James Owusu . I am the Regional Manager of International
commercial Bank of Ghana,[I.C.B] accra branch Ghana. I write you this
proposal in good faith; I am married with two lovely children. I am a man of
peace, and have sincere respect for human feelings and opinions.I have
packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and I. As the
Regional Manager of Ghana west Africa Bank , accra branch 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 of my duty last
year, 2007 business report, I discovered that the branch in which I am the
Manager made 9.3million United States Dollars($9,300,000.00) which my head
office is not aware of and will never beaware of. I have placed this funds
on what we call Escrow call account with no beneficiary. As an officer of
this bank I can not be directly connected to this money, so my aim of
contacting you is to assist me receive this money in your bank account and
get 30% of the total funds as commission. There are practically no risks
involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law, it will be simply a
bank-to-bank transfer,and all I need from you is to stand and claim as the
original depositor of these funds who made the deposit with my branch so
that my head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account
under few working days. If you accept to work with me I will appreciate it
very much as you are the first and the only person I am contacting for this
transaction. Send me an email as soon as you receive this message if you
think so that we can go over the details.
Thank you in advance.

Sincerely,
Mr James Owusu

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam