419 scam: Agyeman <benagyeman201@gmail.com> Comment

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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "contract review panel" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "cheque " (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.
- benagyeman2000@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Agyeman <benagyeman201@gmail.com>
Reply-To: benagyeman2000@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 04:30:06 -0800
Subject: Comment

FROM THE OFFICE OF ENGR.BENSON AGYEMAN
MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING,
HIGH STREET, MINISTRIES COMPLEX,
ACCRA-GHANA.
Dear Sir/Madam,
First, I must solicit your strictest confidence in this transaction,this is by virtue of it's nature as being utterly confidential and top secret as you were introduced to us in confidence through the Ghana Chamber of Commerce, foreign trade division.
We are top officials from the Ministry of Works and Housing,(MWH),Ministry of Finance and the presidency,making up the Contract Review Panel (CRP) set up by the Government of Ghana to review contracts awarded by the past administration.
In the course of our work on the CRP, we discovered this fund which resulted from grossly over-invoiced contracts which were executed for the MWH during the last administration. The companies that executed the contracts have been duly paid and the contracts commissioned leaving the sum of US$17.4 Million floating in the escrow account of the Bank of Ghana ready for payment.
I have therefore been mandated as a matter of trust by my colleagues in the panel to look for an overseas partner to whom we could transfer the sum of US$17.4M legally subcontracting the entitlement to your company.This is bearing in mind that our civil service code of conduct forbids us from owning foreign company or running foreign account while in government service hence the need for an overseas partner.
We have agreed that the funds will be shared thus after it has been paid into your account:
(1) 30% of the money will go to you for acting as the beneficiary of the fund.
(2) 10% has been set aside as an abstract projection for reimbursment to both parties for incidental expences that may be incurred in the course of the transaction.
(3) 60% to us the government officials (with which we wish to commence an importation business inconjunction with you ).
All logistics are in place and all modalities worked out for the smooth conclusion of the transaction within ten to fourteen days of commencement after receipt of the following information:

YOUR COMPANY NAME,ADDRESS,COMPANY'S DETAILS,TELEPHONE & FAX NUMBERS.
These information will enable us make the applications and lodge claims to the concerned ministries & agencies in favour of your company and it is pertinent to state here that this transaction is entirely based on trust as the solar bank draft or certified cheque drawable in any of the Bank of Ghana correspondent bankers around the world is going to be made in your name.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this letter using my e-mail address,stating your tel/fax number for further details.
Yours faithfully,
ENGR.BENSON AGYEMAN
E-mail: benagyeman2000@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam