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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:
  • "million united state 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)
  • "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Phillip Mensah." <kady@telegraf.by>
Reply-To: phillip_mensah56@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 11:05:26 +0100
Subject: Urgent attention needed.


Intercontinental Plaza
Accra Ghana.

From the Director of auditing Intercontinental Bank Plc Ghana.

Good day,

I am Dr.Phillip Mensah, Director of auditing Intercontinental Bank Plc
Ghana. I personally discovered a dormant account with a total sum of
$29,000,000.00 (TWENTY NINE MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS) during our Bank's
Annual Year Account Auditing. The owner of this dormant account is a
foreigner. He was Gold and Diamond merchant and he died on 4th Jan 2006.
Since the death of the deceased, nobody has operated in this account till
date. Moreover I need a foreign partner that will assist me; also this
account has NO BENEFICIARY attached to it.

Definitely, this fund will be confiscated by our BANKING CODE OF ETHICS if
it remains dormant for period of three (3) years without any claims. In this
regard, I earnestly need your full cooperation in transferring this dormant
fund out of our bank to avoid confiscating this fund. I will split the
transfer into two (2) stages for easy and smooth transfer.

First, I will transfer $12,000,000.00 to any valid foreign account you will
nominate, upon a successful transfer without any disappointment from your
side, I will then come over to meet you in your home destination for
sharing, and thereafter we jointly transfer the remaining balance of
$17,000,000.00 for magnitude investments. If you are willing to cooperate in
this project, I will give you details immediately as soon as I hear from
you. Please note that you are required to keep this very confidential.


Yours truly,
Dr. Phillip Mensah.
Director of auditing Intercontinental Bank Plc Ghana.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam