419 scam: "Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson Rep of Ghana Ministry of Finance"<honafs004@outlook.com> OUR REF: BOG /SNT/STB..REPLY ASAP...

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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:

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:
- "atm card department" (this phrase is often used in the ATM card payment scam)
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.
- mr.andrewbdoe@accountant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson Rep of Ghana Ministry of Finance" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hon.catoforson@gmx.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 12:50:15 -0000
Subject: OUR REF: BOG /SNT/STB..REPLY ASAP...

OUR REF: BOG /SNT/STB

This is to officially inform you that your email address has been attach to an Compensation/inheritance file and after going through it we found out that you have not received your payment and you have not fulfilled the obligations given to you in respect of your Compensation, contract/inheritance payment.

Secondly we have secure the release of the fund to you via ATM Card. You are to contact the international monetary funds department card here in Bank of Ghana payment center.

Names : Mr. Andrew Boye-Doe

Bank of Ghana Secretary’s and Director ATM Card Department Officer.

Email address: mr.andrewbdoe@accountant.com

And also send the following information's:

1. Your full name......

2. Phone and fax number......

3. Address were you want the Company to deliver the ATM Card.....

4. Your age/sex.....

5. Current occupation.....

The ATM Card payment center has been mandated to issue out an ATM card value of {USD 6.8 million} which you will use to withdraw your money in any ATM machine, in any part of the world as payment for this fiscal year 2014,you have to stop any further communication with any other person(s) or offices here in Africa to avoid any hitches in receiving your payment.

Note that because of impostors, we hereby issued you our code of conduct, which is (ATM-801) so you have to indicate this code when contacting the card center by using it as your subject.

Kindest regards,

Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson

Representative of Ghana Ministry of Finance

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam