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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.FELIX MENSAH" <felix_mensah_menfel@yahoo.ca> (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2006 17:56:35 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY FRIEND.

MR.FELIX MENSAH
STAFF OF WESTEC SECURITY FIRM
ACCRA - REPUBLIC OF GHANA
WEST-AFRICA
Private email: mensah_fel2001@hotmail.com
Good day,
I am Mensah Felix a member of staff in a Westec Securities
firm. We keep valuables for high net worth individuals, blue chip
corporations and diplomatic organizations.
I am contacting you in regards to our client, the late president
Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo, who died on the 5th of February 2005.
This client has a total deposit of Thirty Five Million United States Dollars in our vaults.
After the 9/11 incidents, our company policy do not permit cash deposit,
so he confided in me as the foreign operations officer to make this deposit since June 2003.
The last communication I had with him was on the 25th of November 2004,
where he was making arrangements to claim the deposit.
Thereafter it was revealed that he died of heart attack in his hometown in Togo.
After the acknowledgement of his death, it became apparent that there was
no claim to his funds since he listed no next of kin in his bio-data form.
He made the deposit under the name of Guardian Trust investment (GTI)
and disclosed the content as company valuables and Antiques.
This was for confidentiality and to reduce taxes.
If no claim is made within six months from now, the company under its
storage terms and conditions will legally auction the content of the deposit.
If discovered that the content is cash, it will be confiscated and I would
be penalised, since I accepted the cash deposit against the company regulations.
As a staff, it is impossible for me to have access to the funds or claim it myself.
More so, such valuable deposits are kept at a different branch,
where we have our terminal facilities. Consequently, it is important that I find
a credible candidate to play the role of a Trustee or representative to
Guardian Trust Investment to help claim the deposit. It is on this ground that
I need your assistance to claim the funds, which will be possible with the information
I hold. Once this is achieved, you shall be entitled to 50% of the total funds while
I shall retain the balance 50%.
I am aware of the risks involved in this proposal, therefore I ask that
you consider the factors above and keep it strictly confidential.
However, if you feel you are unable to fulfill this role, I request you
discard of this letter.
I look forward to hearing form you.
Thank you.
FELIX MENSAH.


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