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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "your payment is being processed" (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)
  • "executive governor" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "DR. PAUL ACQUAH" <drpaulaccq002@msn.com>
Reply-To: <dr.paul_bg@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:07:35 +0000
Subject: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE



>From The Desk of:
Dr. Paul Acquah
Executive Governor
Bank of Ghana.

Attn: Sir/Madam,

IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT INHERITANCE ON CONTRACT #: MAV/GNPC/GH/MIN/009.

>From the records of contractors due for payment with the Government of Ghana, you are discovered as next on the list of the contractors who had not received their payments. I wish to inform you that your payment is being processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter.

Also note that from the record in my file your outstanding contract payment is Ten Million Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollar (US$10.7m).
Please re-confirm to me if this is in line with what you have in your record and also confirm to me the followings:

Full Name: =====================================================
Office/Residential Address: ====================================
State: =========================================================
Country: ===========================
Occupation: ===========================
Telephone: ========================== Fax Number: ===============
INT. Passport. ==========================

As soon as this information are received, your payment will be made to you in a wire transfer to your bank account directly from Bank of Ghana and the copy of transfer slip will be given to you for confirmation with your bank.
Get back to me as soon as you receive this mail.

Cordially yours,

Dr. Paul Acquah
Governor (BOG)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam