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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)
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "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: "Mr.Nataka Inyah" <jamesowusu39@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mr.nataka3@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 13:53:17 +0100
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE


URGENT RESPONSE
From The Desk Of, Mr.Nataka Inyah.
Dear Friend,
My name is Mr.Nataka Inyah. I am the Regional Manager of The Trust Bank of
Ghana,[T.T.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 Ten million five
hundred thousand United States Dollars($10,500,000.00) which my head office
is not aware of and will never be aware 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.Nataka Inyah.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam