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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: "kofi appiah" <kofiappiahv48@biz.by>
Reply-To: kofiappiah223@yahoo.co.in
Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:45:08 -1200
Subject: please treat as urgent


From:Mr.Kofi Appiah.
Phone:+233246170524

Dear Friend,

I am Mr Kofi Appiah, a bank manager with Standard Trust Bank here in Ghana
West Africa. I believe that you will be capable and trustworthy to handle
this transaction after getting your contact information. Also I hope we can
assist each other as we progress in this transaction.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us. On the
course of the 2007 end of the year's report, I discovered that my branch in
which I am the manager made Six Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Dollars (6,750.000.00 Dollars) of which my head Office is not aware of and
will never be aware of. I have since then PLACED this fund on a SUSPENSE
ACCOUNT without a beneficiary.

As a Manager in the bank, I cannot be directly connected to this money thus
I am compelled to request for your assistance to receive this money into
your bank account. I intend to part with 40% of this fund to you as
gratification while 60% shall be for me but I need your own opinion on this.
If you accept my offer you can contact me on my private mobile number
+233246170524 for more details.

NOTE:There are practically no risk involve in this transaction. It will be a
bank-to-bank transfer and I have mapped out plans of executing this
transaction with full co-operation of our database administrator (he is the
only person aware of the money because there is no way we can do the
transaction without him) who will provide enough information into our bank's
database to give the transaction the needed history/legitimacy as well as
identifying you as the depositor of the funds, if you accept to go along
with me.

All I need from you is to stand as the original depositor of this fund and
provide an account where this money will be transferred into by our head
office, if you accept this offer, I will appreciate your timely response as
soon as you receive this mail.

With Regards,
Mr.Kofi Appiah.

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