419 scam: "Dr.solomon" <solomon.godwin1@rediffmail.com> Atten: Beneficiary,

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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:
- "million 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)
- "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)
- "you will be given 30%" (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)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr.solomon" <solomon.godwin1@rediffmail.com>
Reply-To: solomon.godwin@rediffmail.com
Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2012 19:11:40 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Atten: Beneficiary,

Atten: Beneficiary,

I am Dr. Solomon Godwin, the Director of International Remittance Department of Finance Bank of Abidjan. I personally discovered a dormant account with a total sum of $3000,000.00 [THREE MILLION DOLLARS] during our Bank's Annual Year account auditing.

I want you to assist me in repatriating this fund $3000 000:00 [Three Dollars only] into your account for our mutual benefits.

The owner of this dormant account Late Mr. Thomas Stone who was an Oil Merchant died in a boat mishap.

Since the death of the deceased, nobody has operated in this account till date. Moreover, this account has NO NEXT OF KIN attached to it. Definitely, this fund will be confiscated by our BANKING CODE OF ETHICS if it remains dormant for a period of [5] years without any claims. In this regard, I earnestly need your full cooperation in transferring this money out of our bank to avoid our bank confiscating this fund.

I will also like us to invest some part of the money in your country. If you accept to work with me, you will be given 30% of the total money as your own share and 70% for me.

Forward to me the following requirements urgently;

A) Your Full Name:

B) Your Residential Address:

C) Your Direct Telephone Number:

D) The Name and Address of your Bank:

E) Your Account Number:

Be rest assured that the procedures to be adopted in effecting the release of the $3million to you will be official and legal which will protect us from any breach of the law now and after.

Looking forward to your cooperation.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Solomon Godwin

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam