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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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "into your nominated bank 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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Philip Mensah" <dr_pm_minster@indiatimes.com>
Reply-To: drmensah@voila.fr
Date: Tue, 16 May 2006 11:26:58 +0400
Subject: investment proposal




Dear Friend,

I am contacting you from Abu Dhabi the capital of United Arab Emirates and I will be here for a while to attend a seminar which will last for a couple of days.

I am Dr. Philip Mensah and I am a director with the Ministry of Local government and rural development back in Ghana.

I am contacting you to solicit for your assistance in the transfer of us$35, 500,000.00 which we noticed that has been laying waste in the ministry since 2003.

Dear, we are only presenting you as a legal contractor with our ministry who is yet to be paid and we will apply for all the relevant documents of the said contract and then release into your nominated bank account(s) the said amount.

It is simple as we know the procedures over there. All we need is your cooperation in the transaction and we will do the smooth transfer of the funds. Worthy to note here is that we have taking all the precautionary measures and as long as you are going to work under our instructions, there will not be any hitch.

We have decided to compensate your much needed assistance with 25% of the total sum while 5% will be to reimburse all expenses and 70% will be for us here.

Be informed that your involvement is based on the fact as we are not legible to operate a foreign account while in service so you are a foreign partner who will be needed in receiving the said funds, help us in investment if you can or retransfer the funds to our own accounts which we will make available when necessary.

No matter what position you are going to take in this proposal, be informed that we are still in service and there will be the need for you to keep this transaction to yourself.

I will be looking forward to your urgent response to this effect as I will be supplying you with all the relevant details of the transaction as soon as I hear from you.

Best regards,

Dr. Philip Mensah

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam