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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "KUFO WILLIAM" <ku_william@msn.com>
Reply-To: ku_william@zonai.com
Date: Thu, 06 Oct 2005 10:51:58 +0000
Subject: Please I will appreciate your quick response

4,Av.Leopold Sedar Senghor,
Dakar, Senegal.


Attn:


I really regret any embarrassment this mail might cause you, as we have
never by any chance met before; I want you to patiently read this offer. I
am Mr. Kufo William a Ghanaian; I work for the Ghanaian government as a
linkman between the organizations for petroleum exporting countries
(OPEC) and the World Bank in West African countries.

Through the sale of allocated oil quota to my country by Saudi Arabia
government, I was able to make excess of $48.7millionUS, (Forty eight
million seven hundred thousand united states dollar) which has been
deposited in a European finance company. I want you to assist me to claim
this money as I cannot claim it directly because I am still a civil
servant,and the code of conduct bureau forbids me to acquire such amount of
money.

It is on this basis that I am contacting you for assistance, if you are
interested, claim documents will be processed if the need be. the documents
with which the fund is deposited will be changed to reflect you as the new
beneficiary so that you will be eligible to collect the fund on my behalf
and I will give you 25% of the fund for your assistance.

I am aware of the international monitoring of all large-scale financial
movements after the September 11th 2001 terrorist attack on America and to
avoid any state of financial investigation I can provide necessary documents
to back up the transaction. Upon the receipt of this letter, kindly send me
an e-mail signifying your decision including your private tel/fax numbers
for quick communication.

I am assuring you that this transaction is 100% risk free and would be
handled with absolute confidentiality.


Best regards,


Mr. Kufo William

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam