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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. James Ofori" <james_0246@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: james_o244@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 12:51:15 +0100
Subject: Business Enquiry From Ghana, West-Africa

From: James Ofori
International Commercial Bank,
Takoradi Branch
Accra-Ghana
Tel:+233-244-514523

Dear Sir,

My name is Mr.James Ofori, the regional manager of International Commercial Bank Takoradi Branch Ghana. I am a Ghanaian by birth,45 years of age and married with three children.
I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us. As the regional manager of the bank, it is my duty to send financial reports to my head office in the capital city of Accra Ghana.

On the course of the last year 2004 end of the year's report, i discovered that my branch in which i am the manager, made an over exess undiscovered fund of Two Million Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand US Dollars (2,550.000.00) of which my head office is not aware and will never be aware of it. I have since then PLACED this fund in an ESCROW CALL ACCOUNT without a beneficiary.

As the regional manager of the bank, I cannot be directly connected to this money thus, i am impelled to request for your assistance to receive this money into your bank account.

l intend to part 25% of this fund to you while 75% shall be for me and two officers who will assist me move the fund to your account. I do need to assure you that there are no risk involved in this business It’s going to be a Bank-to-Bank transfer.

All i need from you is to stand and represent as the original depositor of this fund in my bank. If you accept this offer, i will appreciate your timely response and then we shall discuss on how you will keep our share pending my arrival to your country for business investment.

With regards,
James Ofori

MY PRIVATE INFORMATIONS:
Address: plot 6 Roman Ridge Avenue
Takoradi-Ghana
Tel: +233-244-514-523


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