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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Naphtali Fordjour" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <naphtalifordjour1@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 05:33:01 -0400
Subject: GOOD BUSINESS PROPOSAL-

With due respect,
 
By introduction, My Name is Mr. Naphtali Fordjour, a banker by profession From Ghana, currently holding the post of an external auditor in accounting, I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of Twenty-Five Million United State Dollar to your abroad account; this money has been dormant for years in our bank without claim and this bank will automatically transfer this fund to the bank treasury as unclaimed fund after this year if no one comes for it.
 
Due to my position in this bank, I was called and asked to reveal a successor of some accounts in the bank; on the process, I found out some fund was left without
indication of successor in the electronics' files and other book keeping file of the originator account. It was by then I assume it to be a great opportunity to
contact you since you are a foreigner so that we can handle this deal together and get this fund transfer abroad for investment.
 
I assure you that there are no risks involved in this transaction because it is something I studied very well and with my position in the bank, I have the right to
register your information as the right owner in the bank electronically file and other bank keeping file documents.
 
I hereby called for your urgent respond and upon your reply; I will direct you more on how this business will be executed and after the transfer 30% of the total fund
will be your share.
 
This is highly confidential as the success of this business depends on how secret it is kept based on my past experiences.
 
 
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Naphtali Fordjour.

Anti-fraud resources: