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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: "Mr.Kofi Adam" <mrkofiadam11@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 14:58:14 +0100
Subject: I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE


DEAR FRIEND,
MY NAME IS MR,KOFI ADAMS I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF BARCLAYS BANK GHANA
LTD,TAKORADI BRANCH IN THE WESTERN REGION OF GHANA WEST AFRICA.
I WRITE YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD FAITH, I AM 42 YEARS OLD MARRIED WITH TWO
KIDS. I AM A DEVOTED CHRISTIAN AND A MAN OF PEACE.I HAVE PACKAGED A
FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND I,AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF
THE BARCLAYS BANK GHANA LTD IT IS MY DUTY TO SEND IN A FINANCIAL REPORT TO
MY HEAD OFFICE IN THE CAPITAL CITY ACCRA AT THE END OF EACH BUSINESS YEAR.
ON THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR 2006 BUSINESS REPORT, I DISCOVERED THAT MY
BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE FIVE MILLIONS,US
DOLLARS($5,000,000,00) WHICH MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOTAWARE OF AND WILL NEVER
BE AWARE OF.I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW ACCOUNT WITH NO
BENRFICIARY.
AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS MONEY, SO
MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR BANK
ACCOUNT AND GET 20% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AS COMMISSION. THERE ARE PRACTICALLY
NO RISK INVOLVED,IT WILL BE A BANK TO BANK TRANSFER, ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS
TO STAND CLAIM AS THE ORIGINAL DEPOSITOR OF THIS FUNDS WHO MADE THE DEPOSIT
WITH MY BRANCH SO THAT MY HEAD OFFICE CAN ORDER THE TRANSFER TO YOUR
DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT.
IF YOU ACCEPT TO WORK WITH ME I WILL APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. YOU CAN REACH
ME ON MY EMAIL AS APPEARED ON THIS MAIL IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SO
THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE DETAILS.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU.
YOURS TRULY
MR,KOFI ADAMS.
+233 243 050834

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