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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "thomas ofori" <thomasii@telegraf.by>
Reply-To: continentbank@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 00:56:42 +0000
Subject: I Await Your Timely Reply


From: Mr.Thomas Ofori
Manager International
Commercial Bank Ghana,
First Light, Kaneshi Branch.

Dear Friend, I got your contact during my search on the Internet. My name is
Thomas Ofori, the branch manager of (I.C.B) Intercontinental Commercial
Bank LTD here in Ghana, I am a Ghanaian married with three kids.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us. As the
branch manager of the bank it my duty to send financial reports to my head
office also in the capital city of Accra. On the course of last year 2007
end of the year reports, I discovered that my branch (Kaneshi, First Light
Branch) in which I am the manager made Three Million five Hundred Thousand
US Dollars (3,500.000.00) 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 40% of this fund to you while 60% shall be
for me. I do need to assure you that there are practically no risks involved
in this. It 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.

With regards,
Thomas Ofori.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam