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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
  (+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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (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)
  • "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)
  • "you will be entitled to 30%" (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 next of kin scam.
• 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.
  • lidiamary@tsamail.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "tery gem" <terygem_re20@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 09:18:04 +0000
Subject: PLS. REPLY IMMEDIATELY

THE:DESK OF MR TERY GEM.
ECO BANK GHANA,
AUDITING DEPARTMENT
OFFICE ADDRESS: AVEN 20 BOUVEDE
ACCRA-GHANA .
Dear Friend
I am MR. TERY GEM, from the auditing section of the ECOBANK ACCRA GHANA.
With due respect and
regards,I have decided to contact you on a business transaction that will be
very Beneficial to both of
us at the end of the transaction.

During investigation and auditing in the bank,my department came across a
very huge sum of money
belonging to a deceased person,a foreigner who died on 31st October 1999 in
a plane crash and the fund has
been dormant in his account with the bank without any claim of the fund
either from his family or relation
before discovery to this development.

Although personally,I kept this information secret within myself to enable
the whole plans and idea be
profitable and successful during the time of execution.

The amount involved is(22m US$)Twentytwo Million United States Dollars only.
As it may interest you to
know that,i got your your contact address through internet and i believe
that you will be viable and
capable to champion a business of such magnitude without any problem.
Meanwhile all the whole
arrangement to put claim over this fund as the bona-fide next of kin to the
deceased,get the
required approval and transfer this money to a foreign account has been put
in place and directives/needed
information will be relayed to you as soon as you indicate your interest and
willingness to assist and
also benefit your self to this great business opportunity.

In fact,I could have done this deal alone but because of my position in this
country as a civil servant,we
are not allowed to operate a foreign account and would eventually raise an
eye brow on my side during the time of transfer because I work in this
bank.This is
the actual reason why it requires a second party or fellow who will forward
claims to the bank as the
next of kin to the deceased . The money will be re-transfered on his request
as it may be,after
due verification and clarification to his designated bank account.

I will not fail to inform you that this transaction is 100% risk free. On
smooth conclusion
of this transaction,you will be entitled to 30% of the total sum as
gratification,while 5% will be set aside
to take care of the expenses that may arise during the time of the transfer
such as telephone billsetc,while 65% will be for me and other investments in
your country under your care.Please,you have been advice to keep top secret
as i am still in service and intend
to retire from service after the conclusion of this
dealwith you.

I will be monitoring the whole situation herein the bank until you confirm
the money in your
account and ask me to come down to your country for subsequent sharing of
the fund according to
percentages previously indicated and further investment,either in your
country or in any other
country you may advice to invest on. All other necessary information will be
sent to you when I hear from you. Get back to me as soon as possible stating
your wish to this transaction.

You can also respond to this mail through this email address below.
lidiamary@tsamail.co.za
Yours Faithfully,
MR TERY GEM

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam