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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Henry Mensah" <hmensah@barclaysbank-gh.com>
Reply-To: hmmensah@yahoo.ca
Date: Sat, 09 Apr 2005 15:03:22 +0000
Subject: Hello

FROM HENRY MENSAH
BARCLAYS BANK OF GHANA
TAKORADI BRANCH
GHANA, WEST AFRICA


DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS HENRY MENSAH I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF BARCLAYS BANK OF GHANA
TAKORADI BRANCH IN THE WESTERN REGION OF GHANA. I GOT YOUR INFORMATION ON A
RECENT BANK CONFERENCE WITH OTHER WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES HELD IN LOME THE
CAPITAL CITY OF TOGO IN WEST AFRICA.

I WANT TO USE THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU OF A PACKAGED FINANCIAL TRANSACTION
THAT WOULD BENEFIT YOU AND I AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE BARCLAYS BANK 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 2004 BUSINESS REPORT, I DISCOVERED THAT MY
BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE FOUR MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATE DOLLARS ($4,500,000.00) 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 (ECA) WITH NO
BENEFICIARY. AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT 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 IS NEITHER RISKS NOR UPFRONT PAYMENT INVOLVED, IT WILL BE A
BANK-TO-BANK TRANSFER, AND ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO STAND CLAIM AS THE
ORIGINAL DEPOSITOR OF THESE FUNDS WHO MADE THE DEPOSIT WITH MY BRANCH SO
THAT MY HEAD OFFICE CAN ORDER THE TRANSFER TO YOUR DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT.

GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND GO OVER THE
DETAILS.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

SEND YOUR TEL/FAX NUMBERS FOR EASY COMMUNICATION.

YOURS TRULY
MR. HENRY MENSAH


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