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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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 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)
  • ",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)
  • "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "keep it 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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: Peter Mensah <petermensah116@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: petermensah304@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 04:58:12 -0800 (PST)
Subject: ACCOUNT PROVISION NEEDED


Dear Good Friend
I am Mr Peter Mensah a Regional Branch Manager, Continental Trust Bank
Ghana, West Africa=A0 CTB.I write you this letter in good faith and trust a=
nd expects you
to
keep it confidential. Also I hope you will not=A0 be embarrassed as why
I contacted you.I have that conviction to=A0 contact=A0 you hoping all
will work out perfectly well with your full co-operation.
I am in control of the sum of fifteen million united states dollars
($15,000,000),an excess profit=A0 made by our regional branch in the last t=
wo quarters of
the
year, 2006/2007. I have carefully placed the fund in an Escrow
Call
Deposit Accountant did not declare it to my head office, while
accounting for the end of the year=A0 fiscal profits.
Can I
really trust you to hold this money for me until I arrive your country
and pick it up myself and you deduct 30% of the total money as your
remuneration? If you accept my=A0 offer you can contact me immediately.
If you do not accept=A0=A0 you can forget that i contacted you? Equally, I =
will
need your help in investing the fund in your country.
I want
you to get me a good current account in your country where I can transfer
this money. I will discreetly give you all the information concerning
the account so that you can apply to our
Head Office for the transfer
of the money=A0 to your account.
You shouldn't be afraid, as it
will be just a smooth bank-to-bank transfer. There is practically no
danger=A0 as it is 100 percent risk free. I=A0 look forward to getting a po=
sitive response
from you.
Regards
Peter Mensah
=0A=0A=0A

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam