419 scam: mallamkofioffice@gmail.com Urgent Response

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: mallamkofioffice@gmail.com
Reply-To: mallamkofi@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:32:52 +0200
Subject: Urgent Response

Dear Sir/Madam

I had ealier recieved your email to me.All the required documents accompaining
your ATM CARD are in the package which the FEDEX COURIER service has packaged
in the bag ready to be dispatch to your destination. The amount
specified to be
withdrawn daily is $10,000.00 and the total amount that was loaded in the ATM
CARD is the sum of $10,000,000.00.According to the issuing Bank of the United
Bank of Africa (UBA), you can use the ATM CARD at any ATM CASH point any where
in the world,as it is an international Swift ATM CARD.

We required you reconfirm the following informations below so that he can
deliver your ATM Card to you today.

NAME: ======================================================================
ADDRESS: ===================================================================
MOBILE NO.:=================================================================
NAME OF YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT:===============================================
A COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION :=============================================

Right now,i am just coming from the FEDEX COURIER office in Benin Republic and
your package is ready to go but they have demanded for a dispatch fee of $72
being charged for the dispatch of the packaged. And i do not have any money
here to pay so that your ATM CARD and all other documents will be delivered to
you. send the money with the below name by western union or money gram only.

Senders name:
Receivers name. STEVE KALU
Question: What color
Answer: Green
Destination Address........ Benin Republic .
Mtcn:......................
Amount:$72

As soon as the money is sent, kindly forward me the payment details. Attached
is the full package and documents and also your ATM CARD itself. But is held
here just because of the $72 for the dispatch which i did not know they will
charge. I encourage you to try as much as you can to send it to the Officer in
charge of dispatch as he has demanded so that your ATM CARD will be
amongst the
packages that will leave today to the USA. You can call me immediatley on my
(+229) 98 533 449

I awaits your response immediatlely.

Mr. Mallam Kofi

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam