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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.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: christopher kofi <kofi_christopher@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: kofi_1@myway.com
Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 12:58:52 -0800 (PST)
Subject: PLEASE IT'S URGENT.


From: Mr Christopher Kofi,
Operations Manager,
International Commercial Bank,
Accra-Ghana.

Urgent Proposal.

Sir / madam,

I am Mr Christopher Kofi the Operations Manager with
the International Commercial Bank, Accra-Ghana. I came
to know you as i was going through my bank global
email addresses for 2007 catalogue.i have confidence
that you will be a Reliable and Reputable Person to
handle this Transaction,requiring Maximum Confidence.

A Foreigner, Late Engr. Andersen Scott, who i am also
his account officer in my bank, an Oil Merchant with
the Federal Government of Ghana, until his death
months ago in Brazillian Air Bus Flight, Banked with us
at International Commercial Bank, Accra-Ghana and had
a closing balance as at the end of February, 2007
US$2,300,000.00 (TWO MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS),
the bank now expects a next of kin as beneficiary.
Valuable efforts has been made by the International
Commercial Bank to get in touch with any of his family
or relatives but to no success.
It is because of the perceived possibility of not
being able to locate any of Late Engr. Andersen Scott
next of kin (He had no wife or children that is known
to us). The Management under the influence of our
Chairman and Members of the Board of Directors, has
arrange for the fund to be declared "Unclaimed" and
subsequently be donated to ghana government trust
fund.
In order to avert this negative development some of my
trusted colleagues and I now seek your permission to
have you stand as next of kin to Late Engr. Andersen Scott so that the fund US$ 2,300,000.00 can be released and paid into your account as the
beneficiary's next of kin, so that i can come over for
our percentage. All documents and proves to enable you
get his fund will be carefully worked out. We have
secure from the probate an order of madamus to locate
any of deceased beneficiaries, and more so we are
assuring you that this business is 100% safe. Your
share stays while the rest be for myself and my
colleagues.
As soon as we receive an acknowledgement of receipt of
this message in acceptance of our mutual business
proposal, we would furnish you with the necessary
modalities. While replying furnish me with your
private fax and phone numbers for easy communication.
We will part with %35 as your share,while %65 for me
and my colleague.
If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not make
undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you.
PLEASE REPLY ME WITH THIS EMAIL TO AVOID PUBLICITY.
Email: (kofi_1@myway.com)

Best Regards
Mr. Christopher Kofi.


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