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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:

• 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)
  • "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
  • "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • prof.snwoode64@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Prof. Sn Woode" <swoode6@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:20:35 +0300
Subject: DEAR FRIEND


CONTRACT #: MAV/ACPC/FGN/MIN/009,
Swift Code: SCB/AGH/IRD,
A/C #329/606/101244/169/678
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
Standard Chartered Bank (SCB)
Our Ref: SCB/IRD/CBX/021/08

From the office of Prof. Sn Woode
Executive Director ,
Standard Chartered Bank (SCB)
Accra Ghana .

Re: Us$15Million 48hours Transfer immediately

Dear Friend.

I am Prof. Sn Woode the Executive Director of Standard Chartered Bank (SCB),
since my assumption of office, I have been able to offset most Overdue
Contract sums (USD$15M) owed by the Government of Ghana to Foreign
contractors in the past years.
In the process of these payments I discovered through investigation that my
predecessor was about to move the above-mentioned sum, but was unable to
conclude the transaction before he was removed out of office. I kept this
within myself and I requested for the bank code change, this was done
successfully for my predecesor not to have access to the bank information.
The fund originated from the balance of over-invoiced sum and Inflated
government contracts of which the principal sum had been paid to foreign
contactors that executed their contract some years ago.

This fund is now floating in a suspense account of our bank and will be
moved by Certified Bank Draft within 48hours in another way bank transfer of
perfection of your account coordinates. I have concluded all necessary
Arrangements to move this fund out, contacting you on this issue became
imperative to owing to the fact that the transfer cannot be effected without
a second party involved.
Therefore, what is required from you is trust and honesty, no further
documentation, Just to change the ownership to your name. I will forward an
account where my share will be further transferred to, when the money
reaches your bank. At the moment I can only give information that are
reasonably able to assist the transaction without jeopardizing my personnal
work or this transaction.

You can email now with your details to indicate your wiliness
Thanks in advance for a mutual and fruitful business proposal.
1 Your Full Names
2, Your Cell telephone Number
3, Profession
4, Age/Sex
5, Marital Status
6, Mailing Address
Regards,
Prof. Sn Woode
Executive Director,
Standard Chartered Bank (SCB)
NOTE : YOU CAN REACH ME ON MY ALTERNATIVE E-MAIL
ADRESS ; prof.snwoode64@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam