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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:
  • "outstanding contractors" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your payment is being processed" (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)
  • "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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "FREDERICK FRANCE" <frederick.banking@email.ro> (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 14:49:55 +0000
Subject: URGENT

FROM OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

BANK OF GHANA (BOG)

REPUBLIC OF GHANA

ATTENTION: PAYMENT BENEFICARY

IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE ON CONTRACT #:
MAV/GNPC/GH/MIN/009.


>From the records of outstanding contractors due for payment with the Government of Ghana
your name and company was discovered as next on the list of the outstanding contractors
who have not received their payments. I wish to inform you that your payment is being processed
and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter. Also note that from my record
in my file your outstanding contract payment is US$15.7 million dollars (Fifteen Million Seven Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars).

Please re-confirm to me if this is inline with what you have in your record and also
re-confirm to me the followings:

1) Your full name.

2) Phone, Fax and Mobile #.

3) Company name, Position and Address.

4) Profession, age and marital status.

5) Any kind of identification

As soon as this information are received, your payment will be delivered to you in cash or wired to your
bank account directly from Bank of Ghana and the copy of transfer will be given to you for you to take to
your bank and confirm it.

Get back to me as soon as you receive this mail.

Regards,

Mr. Frederick France

(Banking Supervision Department)
(Bank of Ghana)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam