419 scam: "Mr.Samuel Adjei"<no-reply@officemail.com> TREAT AS URGENT SIR/MADAM.

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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:

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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Samuel Adjei" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.samuel.ashitey_adjei@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2015 09:08:33 -0700
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT SIR/MADAM.

Attention,

I am Mr.Samuel Adjei, Managing Director Ecobank Ghana Ltd, in charge of transfer of funds in Ecobank Ghana Ltd, this is to officially inform you that we have verified your profiles that your $8.5 million US Dollar is ready for transfer,but you have to fulfill the obligations giving to you in respect to your payment.

We have arrange your payment through bank to bank wire transfer through Ecobank; you need to provide us with your wire instructions to enable the bank make a swift transfer, the total fund to be transferred to you is $8.5 million US Dollar, the necessary document that back up the transaction are all intact and also the transfer will commence as soon as you provide us with your wire instructions to enable the bank commence the transfer to the account you will provide and also you have to pay the sum of $450 usd for cost of approval certificate/international transfer certificate from the bank of Ghana, all payment should be paid through the bank secretary via Western Union, I await your response to enable the bank obtain the certificate from bank of Ghana.

Regard

Samuel Adjei

Managing Director ,

Ecobank Ghana .

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam