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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: koffi umaru <koffi_umaru23@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 20 May 2007 10:48:11 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: PRIVATE MEMO


DEAR Sir,

RE: SWIFT TRANSFER OF US$7.500 MILLION INTO YOUR ACCOUNT
MY NAME IS MR KOFFI UMARU. I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF STANDARD CHARTERED BANK INTERNATIONAL GHANA IN THE ESTERN REGION OF GHANA. I GOT YOUR INFORMATION FROM A FRIEND WHO IS A MEMBER OF OUR TRADE MISSION. I WRITE YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD FAITH. I AM 42 YEARS OLD MARRIED WITH TWO LOVELY KIDS.

I AM A DEVOTED CHRISTIAN AND A MAN OF PEACE. I HAVE PACKAGED A
FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND I. AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE STANDARD CHARTERED BANK INTERNATIONAL 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 BUSINESS YEAR. IN THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR 2005 BUSINESS REPORT. I DISCOVERED THAT MY REGION IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE 11 MILLION US DOLLARS($7.500.000.00) WHICH MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF.

I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW CALL ACCOUNT WITH NO BENEFICIARY. AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CAN NOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS MONEY. SO MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND GET 20% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AS COMMISSION.

THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED. IT WILL BE A 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 MY BRANCH SO THAT MY HEAD OFFICE CAN ORDER THE TRANSFER TO YOUR DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT. IF YOU ACCEPT TO WORK WITH ME I WILL APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. REPLY ME THROUGH MY PRIVATE EMAIL BELOW IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE DETAILS. CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AND ONLY THROUGH THIS EMAIL ADDRESS
THANKS IN ADVANCE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND
YOUR FAMILY.

YOURS TRULY

MR,KOFFI UMARU


---------------------------------
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