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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)
  • "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.
  
• 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.
  • mrschristyikolo@freeghana.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Dan West" <danwest@latinmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: danwest2@latinmail.com
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 16:45:16 +0000
Subject: Letter From Mr. Dan West

Mr. Dan West (JP)
Chairman,
Ecowas Contractor's
Debt Reconciliation / Appraisal Board,
Eco-Fund Office.
Telephone: +233-24237-2384
Accra-Ghana.

Good day,

Account provision for transfer of $45 million

My name is Mr. Dan West, Chairman Ecowas contract dept
reconciliation / appraisal boards. I am contacting you to inquire
from you if you can assist me safeguard funds amounting to $45
million United States Dollars left by our late foreign contractor
whose provided address could not be traced since he died along
with his families. You will be presented as the next of kin to the
deceases to enable our organisation transfer the money to you.

At the end of the transaction, you will be compensated with 30%
of the money. This transaction is 100% risk free but should be kept
secret and confidential due to my position in Ecowas.

I will give you more details about the transaction when I received
your affirmative response. You can contact my confidential secretary
Mrs. Christy Ikolo at her secure E-mail address: mrschristyikolo@freeghana.com

Note: Due to my position now, I have the deceased contract file with
me incase of any question from our organisation when the deal started
and also the process to put claim on the funds as the next of kin will be legally
processed to avoid any breach of law of our countries

Thanks for your understanding, looking forward to hearing from you soonest.

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Dan West (JP)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam