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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: Alfred Koffi <alfredkoffi05@yahoo.ca>
Reply-To: alfredkoffi01@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:09:34 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN


FROM THE DESK OF MR.ALFRED KOFFI
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK {I.C.B}
ACCRA GHANA.

ATTN:

I AM THE MANAGER OF AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING OF THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK {I.C.B} HERE IN ACCRA GHANA.I HAVE BEING WORKING IN MY DEPARTMENT FOR A LONG TIME NOW BEFORE I DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF US$12.5M DOLLARS (TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN JULY 2000 IN A PLANE CRASH.FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THE CRASH YOU CAN VISIT THIS SITE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE IT UNLESS SOME BODY APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDES AND LAW BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNT THAT ALL HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION DIED ALONGSIDE WITH HIM AT THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING NOBODY BEHIND FOR THE CLAIM. IT IS THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY THAT I NOW DECIDED TO MAKE THIS BUSINESS PROPOSAL TO YOU AND RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL.

THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINE HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED UNCLAIMED AFTER SOME YEARS, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERED INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND. THE REQUEST OF FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A GHANIAN CANNOT STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.

I AGREE THAT 40% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHILE 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURRED DURING THE BUSINESS AND 55% WOULD BE FOR ME THEREAFTER, I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGE INDICATED. THEREFORE, TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOU AS ARRANGED,YOU MUST APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS RELATION/NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED PERSON WITH A TEXT OF APPLICATION THAT I WILL SEND TO YOU,SO THAT YOU WILL CONTACT THE BANK WHERE THE MONEY IS REMITTED THROUGH THE INFORMATION THAT I PROVIDE TO YOU.

UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS TRANSACTION. I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS HITCH-FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY ATOM OF FEAR AS ALL REQUIRED ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE TRANSFER. YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU ARE READY TO PARTNER WITH ME IN THIS TRANSACTION.

TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

1. FULL NAME
2. YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER AND FAX NUMBER
3. YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS.

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