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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
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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:
  • "million us 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)
  • "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 business is hitch free " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Edward Fofo <edward_fofo222@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <edward_fofo1965@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 18:55:07 +0000
Subject: Get Back To Me



GreetingsMy name is Mr. Edward Fofo the Branch Manager, Credit and Foreign Bills of ECOWAS BANK PLC ACCRA GHANA .Am writing in respect of a foreign customer of my bank with account number D14-A55-096/ECO/AD who perished in a plane crash [Ethiopian airline 9a61 with the whole passengers aboard. Since the demise of this our customer.I have personally watched with keen interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no one has come to claim his funds of 28.5 Million US Dollars,Ten million five hundred thousand united states dollars] which has been with my branch for a very long time.On this note, I decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as the Next of kin as no one has come up to be the next of kin.And the bankin ethics here does not allow such money to stay more than Seven years,because the money will be re called to the bank treasury as unclaimed fund after this period. In view of this I got your contact through a search on the Internet.I shall give you 30% of the total sum. I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is hitch free and that you should not entertain any fear as all modalities for fund transfer can be finalized within five banking days, after you apply to the bank as a relation to thedeceased.I will be waiting urgently to hear from. I will like to have your phone and fax number for easy communication. Respectfully,

Edward Fofo.
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam