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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: Dankwa <sally.beauvais@elcosmico.com>
Reply-To: <kdankwa30@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:05:56 +0200
Subject: My Dear Friend

Dear Friend,
My name is Mr.Kelvin Dankwa, I am the Regional Manager In a reputable BANK in ACCRA GHANA. I came to know you in my Private Search for a reliable and reputable person to handle this confidential transaction. I write you this proposal in good faith. I have a financial transaction that will benefit both of us. On the 4th of August 2011, a Cyprus Oil consultant/Merchant with the Ghana Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (G.P.C.C) by name Mr. Chris Peppos made a fixed deposit of Six Million Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand United State Dollars ($6,850,000.00) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a notification letter to him via his address but got no reply. After a month, I sent a reminder and finally discovered that Mr. Chris Peppos is dead. He died on a ghastly motor accident, and since then all attempts made to trace his relations were fruitless neither has anyone shown up as his next of kin to claim his money.

However, Ghana Banking laws states that, if such money remains unclaimed for the period of years, the money will be transferred into the bank treasury as unclaimed fund.Therefore, my proposal is that hence nobody has showed up as a next of kin to Mr. Chris Peppos, I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Chris Peppos to claim this fund for our mutual benefit.Be informed that the reason for a foreigner as next of kin in this deal is necessary given the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a Ghanaian cannot stand as his next of kin.
I will give you 50% of this money for your assistance while 10% will be set aside for expenses incurred during the execution of this deal and 50% will be for me.Upon your acceptance, I shall provide you with more details and relevant documents that will enable you standfirmly as the next of kin to Mr. Chris Peppos. Should this be acceptable to you, kindly indicate in writing and confirm the following :

Full Name: .............................................................
Contact Address: .......................................................
Direct Telephone Number: ...............................................
Age: ...................................................................
Occupation and Position: ...............................................
Marriage Status: .......................................................
Gender: ................................................................

I want to emphasize here that this deal is free from any form of risk from both parties as great care has been exercised in perfecting it, and therefore, I enjoin you to approach it with an open mind and without any fear whatsoever. As a deal, I also make haste to advice that you should be private about it.

Best Regards,
Mr.Kelvin Dankwa,

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