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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
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• 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:
  • "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)
  • "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)
  • "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: kofi_amankwa <kofi_amankwa9@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: kofi_amankwa@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 20:58:36 +0100
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL


From; Barrister Kofi Amankwa Esq.
No: 85 Kwame Avenue Accra Ghana.

Attention.

I am a Senior Advocate here in Ghana, and with the full power bestow on me
to bring this Fast notice to you. That I am the legal Attorney to Mr,
Tsikata Tsatsu of Ghana National Petroleum Co-operation.

Mr. Tsikata was sentence to 5yrs imprisonment for embezzling Government
Funds and all his property was seize to the Government of Ghana'Mr.Tsikata
inform me to go ahead and transfer this little Fund to any foreign partner
to secure for the family.

The amount is (5.2 Million United State Dollars) Deposited in (GNB) in
Escrow Account. We need your fast response to forward your bank so we can go
ahead in transferring this fund into you bank account.Your can read
Mr.Tsikata Sentence in

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=145536

Most important thing needed from you is to keep this strictly Confidential
and top secret until this fund is transferred to you bank account.

Thanks and anticipating your Maximum –cooperation


Barrister Amakwa Esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam