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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
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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• 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.
  • ecoatroderick@mail2world.com

Fraud email example:

From: ecobankgh@sify.com
Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2008 22:11:08 +0600 (IST)
Subject: A legitimate business that will benefit both of us.


Eco Bank Ghana Ltd.

From The Desk Of Mr.Roderick O'Brien (sir).

Branch Manager,

Eco Bank Ghana,

Silver Star Tower Branch.

Private Email:ecoatroderick@mail2world.com

Date:25/01/2008



Hello,



My Name is Roderick O'Brien, I am the regional manager of the Eco Bank Ghana Silver Star Tower Branch Accra Ghana.



I got your information during my search through the Internet. I am 44 years of age and married with 3 lovely kids.



It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and don't want problem,I only hope we can assist each other.



If you don't want this business offer kindly forget it as I will not contact you again as i know it is wrong doing it but i have to do it as i have all the backup from my office.



I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us, as the regional manager of the Eco Bank of Ghana; it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end of each year.



On the course of the last two years 2005 end of year report, I discovered that my branch in which I am the manager made Ten million seven hundred fifty thousand dollars (10,750.000.00) which my head office are not aware of and will never be aware of.



I have since place this fund on what we call SUSPENSE ACCOUNT without any beneficiary.



As an officer of the bank I can not be directly connected to this money, so this informed my contacting you for us to work so that you can assist receive this money into your bank account for us to SHARE.



While you will have 30% of the total fund.



Note there are practically no risk involved, it will be bank to bank transfer, all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of this fund who made the deposit with our branch so that my Head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account.



If you accept this offer to work with me, I will appreciate it very much.



As soon as I receive your response I will details you on how we can achieve it successfully.



Awaiting for your soonest response Via my E-mail address:ecoatroderick@mail2world.com



God bless you.



Best regards,



Mr.Roderick O'Brien (sir).

Branch Manager.





VERY URGENT NOTE FOR YOU BELOW:



Please note that this transaction is legitimate and real,and not like every business proposal you might have received before,you don't have to commit any money,all i need from you is your co-operation so we can get this money transfered in your designated account that you will provide to my head office here in Ghana,then i will come down to your country for my own percentage.



All i want you to do,if that will suit you better is just to come down to Ghana and claim this money because that means will be faster and through that means you will know that it is legitimate as i will arrange all documentary in your name as the depositor/customer to the bank in a professional way,i will take care of your visa and your accommodation during your stay here in Ghana.



This transaction will not take more than five working days to sort out as i have every documents to back it up.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam