419 scam: "Mr. Ernest Obeng" <obeng@olive123.com> Best Regard From Ernest

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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:
- ",500,000" (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)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Ernest Obeng" <obeng@olive123.com>
Reply-To: ernestobee16@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2018 23:47:32 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Best Regard From Ernest

My Compliments,

My name is Mr. Ernest Obeng, a politician and a previous member of Ghana's
executive committee on contract awards.

My purpose in connecting you is to crave your indulgence in assisting me
to secure funds abroad kept to help me finance my senatorial elections
campaign with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on December 2016.
Unfortunately, I lost the election.

But, I was able to deposit some kickback money from award of contracts to
Chinese and Malaysian companies in a security vault in Ghana pending my
finding a trustworthy person to move out the funds from Ghana to an
oversea bank account for business investment.

The need to contact you arose when the present elected government vowed to
crack down on past government functionaries of the National Democratic
Congress (NDC) and tried to trace all the funds during our tenure in the
office from the year 2008 to 2016. If they succeed in tracing this fund to
me, they will seize it.

I wish to relocate this fund in a foreigner's name to avoid any trace. All
I need from you is an assurance that you can handle the amount involved
(US$19,500,000) comfortably and that I can also trust you.

I will need the following information from you for onward execution of the
aforementioned project.

1. Your full name:.........................
2. Your Address:...................... ....
3. Company name: .........................
4. Position in Company:..................
5. Age:.......................... ............
6. Nationality:.................. ...........
7. Telephone ..............................
8. Cell.......................... .............
9. Country of residence:................

Rest assured that there is no risk involved. Please inform me of your
willingness to assist and co-operate with me, so that I can send you full
details of this transaction.

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Ernest Obeng.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam