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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: Mr Tony Owusu <mrssnowevictoria48@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrtonyallenowusu2017@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2017 10:02:45 -0700
Subject: NEXT OF KIN

DEAR

I DECIDED TO WRITE YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD FAITH, BELIEVING THAT YOU
WILL NOT BETRAY ME.

I HAVE BEEN IN SEARCH OF SOMEONE FROM YOUR COUNTRY AS OUR LATE
CUSTOMER AND CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE (MR VICTOR),
HENCE I CONTACTED YOU BECAUSE BOTH OF YOU ARE COINCIDENTALLY FROM THE
SAME COUNTRY AND I WAS PUSHED TO CONTACT YOU AND SEE HOW BEST WE CAN
ASSIST EACH OTHER. MEANWHILE I AM MR. TONY OWUSU, A REPUTABLE BANKER
HERE IN ACCRA GHANA .

ON THE 15 MARCH 2007, THE YOUNG MILLIONAIRE (VICTOR ,A CITIZEN OF YOUR
COUNTRY AND CRUDE OIL DEALER MADE A FIXED DEPOSIT WITH MY BANK, VALUED
AT US$17,500,000.00 (SEVENTEEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US
DOLLARS) AND THE MATURE DATE FOR THIS DEPOSIT CONTRACT WAS ON 30TH OF
NOVEMBER, 2012. BUT SADLY HE WAS AMONG THE DEATH VICTIMS IN THE 12 MAY
2008, EARTHQUAKE DISASTER IN CHINA THAT KILLED OVER 5,000 PEOPLE.
BECAUSE HE WAS IN CHINA ON A BUSINESS TRIP AND THAT WAS HOW HE MEET
HIS END.

MY BANK MANAGEMENT IS YET TO KNOW ABOUT HIS DEATH, BUT I KNEW ABOUT IT
BECAUSE HE WAS MY FRIEND AND I AM HIS ACCOUNT RELATIONSHIP OFFICER,
AND HE DID NOT MENTION ANY NEXT OF KIN/ HEIR WHEN THE ACCOUNT WAS
OPENED, BECAUSE HE WAS NOT MARRIED AND NO CHILDREN.

LAST WEEK MY BANK MANAGEMENT REQUESTED THAT VICTOR SHOULD GIVE
INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT HIS FUNDS, IF TO RENEW THE CONTRACT
OR NOT.

I KNOW THIS WILL HAPPEN AND THAT IS WHY I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A
MEANS TO HANDLE THE SITUATION, BECAUSE IF MY BANK DIRECTORS HAPPENS TO
KNOW THAT HE IS DEAD AND DO NOT HAVE ANY HEIR, THEY WILL TAKE THE
FUNDS FOR THEIR PERSONAL USE, SO I DON'T WANT SUCH TO HAPPEN. THAT IS
WHY I AM SEEKING YOUR CO-OPERATION TO PRESENT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN/
HEIR TO THE ACCOUNT, SINCE YOU ARE FROM THE SAME COUNTRY WITH THE
DECEASED CUSTOMER.

THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED; THE TRANSACTION WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A
LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF LAW.
IT IS BETTER THAT WE CLAIM THE MONEY, THAN ALLOWING THE BANK DIRECTORS
TO TAKE IT, THEY ARE RICH ALREADY. I AM NOT A GREEDY PERSON, SO I AM
SUGGESTING WE SHARE THE FUNDS IN THIS RATIO, 50/50%, I.E. EQUAL.

LET ME KNOW YOUR MIND ON THIS AND PLEASE DO TREAT THIS INFORMATION
HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL.

I WILL REVIEW FURTHER INFORMATION’S / DETAILS TO YOU AS SOON AS I
RECEIVE YOUR POSITIVE REPLY

I WAIT FOR YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE.

REGARDS
MR. TONY OWUSU

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