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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: "John Kuffou" <mr.johnkuffou645@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mr.johnkuffou@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2016 00:42:37 -0500
Subject: Gold for sale

Dear friend,

My name is John Kuffou. I am the Assistant Commissioner Import and Export Ghana custom excise and preventative service, Kotoka Int’l airport, Accra Division. I am searching for gold dealer or someone with connection to any person that can buy or help me sell 185 kilograms of gold Dore bars. The buyer will have a good discount below market price and the buyer broker/mandate will be given a good percentage commission.

However, I would like to inform you that the gold was detected during the outward routine check on passengers luggage’s on South Africa Airline flight to United States. Four boxes belonging to one Israel Jones (45) were found to contain 185 kilograms of gold Dore bars without the necessary documentations to support the export / origin and ownership of the gold. Fellow below link to see previous seizure we made that was delivered to the Ghanaian government.https://www.newsghana.com.gh/gold-worth-18m-seized-at-kia/ without anything to show for it. We decided to cover up the case at the investigation stage because we reached a plea bargain with the smuggler to let him off the hook but the said gold will be confiscated outrightly.

Consequently, my colleagues and I decided to divert the gold to our use, because even if we declare it to our superiors in the office, they will still divert it. We have since deposited the gold with a private vault. Hence, we are looking for a buyer or broker to sell for us. I will be very glad if you can indicate your interest to help us sell the gold in your country. As I said above, the present administration of President John Mahama does not use the generated revenue for the betterment of the citizens and there are massive corruption in every sector of the economy, and our salary has not been paid for the past five months but this regime has been exporting gold, cocoa and crude oil etc to foreign countries on daily basis and yet the poverty level among Ghanaian citizens is above the United Nations benchmark. Worst of it all, we cannot afford to pay our children school fees because our salary are not paid. This singular reason informed our decision to help ourselves with the proceeds that will emanate from the sales of the gold. Please on your respond to this mail, kindly enclose your personal contact details. Please keep it confidential as I am still serving in the customs.

I look forward to working with you.

Regards,
John Kuffou

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