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.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
"from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
"hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
"top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
"a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
"is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
thomas.white207@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Thomas White" <thomas.white@cantv.net> Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 07:00:43 -0430 Subject: In Good Faith.
From: The Desk of Dr.Thomas White Manager, International Commercial
Bank Limited Tema Branch , Ghana .
Dear,
I hope this may
not constitute sort of embarrassment to you, but I will be very please
if this transaction will make us know each other as we both are going to
benefit from this transaction, First I must solicit your confidence in
this transaction, this is by virtue of its nature as being utterly
confidential and top secret. But I am assuring you that all will be well
at the end of the day.
I have decided to contact you due to the
urgency of this transaction, as we have been reliably informed of your
discreetness and ability in transaction of this nature. Let me start by
introduce my self properly to you, my name is Thomas White, I am the
regional manager of the International Commercial Bank of Ghana, Tema
branch in the Western Region of Ghana. I came to know you in my Private
Search for a Reliable and Reputable Person to handle this Confidential
Transaction. I am 48years of age and married with 9 lovely kids. It may
interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and INTERGRITY; I only
hope we can assist each other..
I have packaged a financial
transaction that will benefit both of us, as the regional manager of the
International Commercial Bank Limited; it is my duty to send in a
financial report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end
of each year. On the course of the last year end of year report, I
discovered that my branch in which I am the manager
made $33.500.000.00USD (thirty three Million, Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) which my head office are not aware of and will
never be aware of. I have since place this fund on what we call SUSPENSE
ACCOUNT without any beneficiary.
As an officer of the bank I can
not be directly connected to this money, so this informed my contacting
you for us to work, so that you can assist and receive this money into
your bank account for us to SHARE. The sharing of the fund are thus: 50%
for you 50% for me . Note! There are practically no risk involved, this
transaction is 100% risk free and legally blinded, it will be wire swift
transfer, all I need from you is to stand claim as the original
depositor of this fund who made the deposit with our branch so that our
Head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account. If
you accept this offer to work with me, If you find this proposal
suitable for you do furnish me with the following informational: Your
full Name, Contact Address, Occupation and Position, Date of
Birth, Gender, Marital Status, Nationality, Tel/Fax Number. To enable me
fix your data in our bank file, so that you will be recognized in our
bank (ICB) as a customer before the onward transfer. I will appreciate
it very much. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not make undue
advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you. And how we can achieve it
successfully.
