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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "million 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: CYNTHIA ATTAH <cyattah.9@msn.com>
Reply-To: <cynthiaatth2004@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:36:07 +0000
Subject: PLEASE TREAT THIS VERY URGENT





Attn: Please,

I
humbly ask for your assistance to enable me transfer the money my late
father kept in a bank in (THE TRUST BANK) before he died, into your
nominated account overseas.

My
name is Miss.Cynthia Attah my mother name is Madam Mariam Attah and
my late father name is Chief Omeh Attah. He was a gold and diamond
merchant from Ashanti region of Ghana in West Africa.

I am from
a polygamous family and my father has four wives and twenty-four
children, am the eighth child and my mother is the last wife of my
father and he entrusted all his valuable documents to her.

Since
we are from a polygamous home, after the death of my father, the whole
family has been deserted. Now my elder brothers, sisters and their
mothers are in search of my father documents but my mother who is
in possession of the documents has refused to disclose the custodian of
the documents to them, because they are all fighting for themselves and
their selfish interest.

Right now all I want from you is your
bank account number where we can instruct the bank to transfer this
money to you by telegraphic transfer, which takes about three working
days.

We are making this arrangement in order to avoid the rest
of the children and their mothers, because if they find out they will
take everything from us.

The
original document of the transaction including the pin code has been
couriered to them by our family lawyer Barrister DUKE KOFI.

I
am the next of kin to my father estates, as shown in the legal
documents, please kindly help us to effect this transaction, it is for
the mutual benefit of both parties, you will be entitle to twenty
percent of the funds, as the owner of the account, the total amount in
the bank is $18 million us dollars.
with your Bank account details so that we can forward the information to the bank of ghana to expedite the transfer immediately.

Could you also include your contact address, fax numbers and your private mobile phone number for easy communication. Best regards, Miss.Cynthia Attah (Daughter)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam