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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "industrial and commercial bank of china" (not involved with lotteries)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "hundred thousand 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)
  • "there are practically no risks involved" (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.
  • andrewlllee@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: andrew lee <andrewlelewa@live.com>
Reply-To: <kofi_1@myway.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:21:30 -0500
Subject: personal assistant


Dear Director,

I got your contact during my search on the Internet. My name is ANDREW LEE, a manager of a branch of (I.C.B.C) INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL BANK OF CHINA here in Hong Kong.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us. As the manager of the Branch of the bank,

it my duty to send financial reports to my head office.
On the course of the last year 2006 end of the of the year report,

I discovered that my branch which I am the manager made Ten Million five Hundred Thousand US Dollars(10,500.000.00) of which my head office is not aware of and will never be aware of it.

I have since then PLACED this fund on a SUSPENSE ACCOUNT without a beneficiary.
As an officer of the bank,

I cannot be directly connected to this money thus I am impelled to request for your assistance to receive this money into your bank account. I intend to part 30% of this fund to you while 70% shall be for me.

I do need to assure you that there are practically no risks involved in this. It is going to be a bank-to bank transfer. All I need from you is to stand as the original depositor of this fund. If you accept this offer, I will appreciate your timely response. Reply to: andrewlllee@yahoo.com
With regards, Andrew Lee Hong Kong Tel:+ 852 66785373
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam