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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• 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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• 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)
• 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.
  • georgekofioffice@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "FROM HSBC BANK GHANA" <georgekofi121@rambler.ru> (may be fake)
Reply-To: georgekofioffice@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 12:49:27 +0100
Subject: RE: SWIFT TRANSFER OF US$ 4.5 MILLION INTEREST INTO YOURXXACCOUNT.

                                               International Transfer

International Transfer
Processing Department
REF: HSBCBA/GHA/ACC/01/06
Trust Towers Asylum Down  2nd Flot
PMB CCCI Cantonments, Accra Ghana
E-mail: georgekofioffice@yahoo.com

Dear Sir,Madam
                 SWIFT HSBC 22 
 
RE: SWIFT TRANSFER OF US$ 4.5 MILLION INTEREST INTO YOUR  ACCOUNT.

Sometime ago, in our bank your contract money was brought to our bank from Economic Community of West African Foreign Contractor Payment Panel made of with the following countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Rep.Benin, Senegal, Ivory-coast, Gambia, Mali, etc.  
 
(Ecowas), AND AFTER SOME PERIOD, They call the fund bank to their treasury in World Bank. For the period of time this money was in our bank, it generated an interest of US$4.5 Million, which we considered your long suffering as one of the West African Countries contractor that have not received his/her payment and we 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 you’re driving license number, then your telephone and fax number for easy communication.
 
 In view of this you are hereby instructed to contact this office immediately you receive this fax message and reconfirm your bank particulars.
 
Contact me on my direct EMAIL: georgekofioffice@yahoo.com expecting your immediately response.
 
BEST REGARD
 
MR GEORGE KOFI
HSBC BANK ACCRA GHANA,

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam