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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: "micheal gyan" <michealgyan23@msn.com>
Reply-To: michealgyan221@indiatimes.com
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 20:15:55 +0000
Subject: IN GOOD FAITH

ECOWAS BANK FOR INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.
EBID.
ACCRA BRANCH.
44 EAST LEGON, ACCRA.
GHANA.WEST AFRICA.


My name is Mr. MICHEAL KOJO GYAN ,The Manager,INTERNATIONAL CREDIT AND
FOREIGN BILLS of ECOWAS BANK FOR INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.I am writing in
respect of a foreign customer of my bank with account number
ABD30-A77-096/ECWB/GH who perished in a plane crash [Ethiopian airline]
with the whole passengers aboard.Since the demise of this our customer. I
have personally watched with keen interest to see the next of kin but all
has proved abortive as no one has come to claim his funds of
$105.000,000.00 MILLION [ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS]
which has been with my branch for a very long time.

On this note, I decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as the Next
of kin as no one has come up to be the next of kin. And the banking ethics
here does not allow such money to stay more than NINE years, because money
will be recalled to the bank treasury as unclaimed after this period.Inview
of this I got your contact through a search on the Internet .I shall give
you 40% of the total sum.

I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is hitch free
and that you should not entertain any fear as all modalities for
fundtransfer can be finalized within five banking days, after you apply to
the bank as arelation to the deceased.

When you receive this letter. Kindly send me e-mail signifying Your decision
including your private telephone/ fax numbers for quick communication.

Respectfully submitted,

MR.MICHEAL KOJO GYAN.

MANAGER,INTERNATIONAL CREDIT and FOREIGN BILLS. (ICFB)


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