419 scam: Stephen Badu <ess.josua5@gmail.com> Letter To You

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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:
- "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)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- emailsbesq@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Stephen Badu <ess.josua5@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sbesq.alternateemail@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2014 19:32:59 -0700
Subject: Letter To You

Hello,

I am Stephen Badu, from Republic of Ghana. I had a client who was a
gold merchant. He lived in Europe and died in Ghana. He had
businesses in Ghana, and the Middle East. He has in a dormant account
a total of ($5.9 MILLION DOLLARS) deposit, held in a Finance house in
Europe.

I received official letters from the bank last week suggesting
proceeding for confiscation of this abandoned, personal asset; in
line, with European, financial laws. On this note, I decided once more
to search for a potential, person, who share the same last name with
him, (however distant). Information from the National Immigration
stated that he was alone, on entry into Ghana. He had no wife, no
children.

I need your consent to present you as the Inheritor, because you share
the same last name with him. If you agree to work with me, the fund
will be transferred to you, for me, and you, to share based on
percentage %.

To indicate your, interest to stand as the Inheritor, of this fund,
send your response to the e-mail address, provided. As follows:
emailsbesq@rediffmail.com

Faithfully,

Mr. Stephen A. Badu esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam