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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Kwame Sarpong," (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrkwame_sarpong@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 03:30:57 +0530
Subject: Re: With All Due Respect /Sir / Madam,

With All Due Respect /Sir / Madam, My name is Mr. Kwame Sarpong, the manager of auditing and Accounting Department, Zenith Bank Group Ghana, I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of $17, 200, 000.00 (Seventeen Million Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) immediately to your account. Meanwhile, it was very fortunate for me to come across the deceased file, when I was arranging the old and abandoned customer’s files in other to sign and submit to the entire bank management, as official re-documentation. However, it is not authorized by the rules guiding our bank for a citizen of Ghana to make the claim of the fund unless you are a foreigner, no matter the country you come from, that’s the reason why I’m contacting you as a foreigner to apply for the claim and transfer of the fund smoothly into your reliable bank account as the next of kin to the deceased, and I assure you that this transaction is 100% risks free. If you are really sure of your Trust worthiness, Accountability and confidentiality on this transaction contact me and accept not to change your mind to cheat, or disappoint me when the deposited funds are released to you by our bank; FullName: Address: Occupation: Age: Sex: Telephone Number: Country: Reply me as soon as possible so that I will let you know the next steps and procedures to follow in order to finalize this transaction immediately. I expect your urgent reply Best regard, MR. KWAME SARPONG

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