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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "transfer into your account" (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)
  • "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: HSBC BANK GHANA <info_hsbcbank2009@excelplux.com>
Reply-To: info.hsbc1bank.gh@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 10:56:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Dear Beneficiary

International transfer
Processing Department
Trust Towers Asylum Down
2nd Floor PMB CCCI
Cantonments, Accra Ghana
SWIFT HSBC 22

Dear Beneficiary,

RE: SWIFT TRANSFER OF US$ 1.5 MILLION INTEREST INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

I am Dr. James Kokou, the Head of Treasury Department of HSBC BANK ACCRA GHANA , in our bank, your contract money was brought to our bank from All African Apex Bank, THIS MONEY WAS TAKEN BACK to the Federal Government treasury For the period of time this money was in our bank. it generated an interest which we considered your long suffering with WEST AFRICAN government. your name was brought to our bank as one of the beneficiaries whom his money has not been paid.

The World Bank, international monitoring fund (I.M.F) and other monitory agency resolved the issue in London after one week meeting and decide to pay you this interest fund via Swift Transfer into your account.

What we need from you now is any form of your identification for example; your international passport number or your driving license number, then your telephone and fax number for easy communication /your account information.

As a matter of fact we don't have enough time to waste since we have wasted time in contacting our respective customers, so try and comply with the entire necessary requirement for remittance.


Best Regards,

DR. JAMES KOKOU
HEAD OF TREASURY DEPARTMENT
HSBC BANK ACCRA GHANA
TEL (00) 233247977600

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam