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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: "kelvin kofo" <kelvinkofo26@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: kelvinkofo50@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2005 16:41:09 +0100
Subject: PRIVATE MEMO

ATTENTION Mr/ Sir/ CEO/ Madam

My name is Mr.Kelvin Kofo .I am the Eastern Regional
Manager of the International Commercial Bank of Ghana
in West Africa.
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 do not want problems but I just hope you can assist
me. I write you this letter in good faith. I am in
control of the sum of One Million nine hundred and
fifty thousand US dollars ($1,950,000.00) which was an
excess of profit made by our regional eastern office
in the last quarter of the year 2003, which I have
placed on a call deposit account and did not declare
this to my head office.

Can I rely on your trust to hold this money for me
until I arrive your country and pick it up myself and
you deduct 30% of the money as your commission?

If you accept my offer you can contact me only on my
private phone number. If you do not accept; you can
forget I contacted you?

All I need is for you to get me a good current
account in your bank in USA or Europe where I can move
this money.

There is practically no risk involved; it will be a
bank-to-bank transfer. I hope you understand my
situation.
Thank you and God bless.

Yours truly,

Kelvin Kofo .


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