419 scam: "Paul A. Acquah"<hfc.charles@yahoo.com.hk> [SPAM] COMPENSATION PAYMENT

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
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.
- hfc.ink@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Paul A. Acquah" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hfc.ink@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011 00:13:33 -0000
Subject: [SPAM] COMPENSATION PAYMENT

Dear Friend,

I am pleased to inform you that the pending transaction has been successfully completed through the assistance of a new partner from Japan . We are currently investing in Japan . I did not forget all you contributed to ensure our success despite that we did not achieved our dream. You will receive compensation sum of (usd$4,750,000.00) via a telegraphic bank to bank wire transfer to any of your nominated foreign bank accounts by HFC Bank. Mr. Charles Inkoom, the director in charge of foreign operations of HFC Bank has been advised.

Thus, you are advised to contact Mr. Charles via: (hfc.ink@rediffmail.com) for his immediate action in effecting the funds transfer to any of your nominated foreign accounts you wish to submit to HFC Bank. I might not be contacting you soon because I would be traveling to China with my new partner for our investment projects. Establish contact with Mr. Charles Inkoom to enable you receive the funds in your account within two to three banking days. Do not hesitate to write me back once you confirm the funds in your account.

Take care and remain blessed and if you wish to receive this payment, then this should be kept between me , you and Charles Inkoom, please for God sake do not mention this to anybody you have dealt with in the past or you will not receive this payment like in the past.

A word is enough for the wise.

Yours truly,

Dr. Paul A. Acquah,

Former Governor, Bank of Ghana .

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam