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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: "ALLEN MILLS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <allenmillsgh@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2013 00:55:45 -1200
Subject: FROM MR.ALLEN MILLS


MR.ALLEN MILLS

122/124-AKIYODE STREET

TAKORADI-GHANA.

Reply to: allenmillsgh@hotmail.com

DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS MR.ALLEN MILLS; I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF A BANK, TAKORADI BRANCH IN THE WESTERN REGION OF GHANA. I GOT YOUR INFORMATION ON A RECENT BANK CONFERENCE WITH OTHER WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES HELD IN LOME THE CAPITAL CITY OF TOGO IN WEST AFRICA. I WRITE YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD FAITH; I AM 56 YEAR OLD MARRIED WITH TWO LOVELY KIDS. I HAVE PACKAGED A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND I,AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF A BANK IT IS MY DUTY TO SEND IN A FINANCIAL REPORT TO MY HEAD OFFICE IN THE CAPITAL CITY ACCRA AT THE END OF EACH BUSINESS YEAR.

ON THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR 2012 FINANCIAL BUSINESS REPORT, I DISCOVERED THAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE TEN MILLION SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND US DOLLARS($10,680,000.00) WHICH MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF.

I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW CALL ACCOUNT WITH NO BENEFICIARY. AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS MONEY, SO MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND GET 30% OF THE TOTAL AS COMMISSION.

THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED, IT WILL BE A BANK TO BANK TRANSFER, AND ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO STAND CLAIM AS THE ORIGINAL DEPOSITOR OF THESE FUNDS WHO MADE THE DEPOSIT WITH MY BRANCH SO THAT MY HEAD OFFICE CAN ORDER THE TRANSFER TO YOUR DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT.

IF YOU ACCEPT TO WORK WITH ME I WILL APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. WRITE ME IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE DETAILS.

THANKS YOU IN ADVANCE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

YOURS TRULY,

MR. ALLEN MILLS

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