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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "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 next of kin scam.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • remittance01_icb@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:05:19 -1200
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED


HEADQUARTER,
INTERNATIONAL
COMMERCIAL BANK,
NO: 365/5 HIGH STREET ,
ACCRA - GHANA
I am Mr. Emmanuel Osei an accounts officer in a financial
institution specifically I work with the International
commercial Bank of Ghana .I discovered a dormant account
with a large amount of money valued $8, 5 (eight Million
Five Hundred Thousand us Dollars).Upon my investigation I
discovered it belonged to one of our late clients Mr.
Herman Conner that died in a automobile accident in
November 2004.
I got your details in my search for any possible relation
to Mr. Herman Bill Conner. During the period of this
investigation I also discovered that the deceased person
died in the auto-accident with his wife and the little kid
that appease to be the next of kin, he left no will and
nobody behind to come for the claim as next of kin. As his
family could not be traced.
The banking law here stipulates that if such money remains
unclaimed for six years, it will be forfeited to the bank
treasury as an unclaimed bill and sent to the
governments account.

A local citizen cannot stand as a kin to a foreigner. It is
upon this discovery that I have decided to contact you to
ensure that the funds is used for some viable project as it
ought to be instead of using the funds for malicious
purposes or for perpetrating evil. If you are interest to do
this transaction with me, please you should reach me
through the above stated email or telephone numbers
00233242654602 to enable me give you the full details of
this transaction and on how we are going to stat commence on
it and how it going to work out successfully .
What I want from you is for you to act as the deceased next
of kin. I have in my possession all necessary documents
that you will need as the next of kin and all the data’s to
accomplish this task. This whole process should be fully
accomplished within 7-14 working days; further information
will be given to you as soon as I receive your positive
response via e-mail or telephone.
You can also rich me true my email address
(remittance01_icb@hotmail.com)
Best regards
Mr. Emmanuel Osei

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam