419 scam: "Mr.Maxwell Ashon" <akufoawuye@gmail.com> Hi Friend!!

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (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)
- ",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)
- "00,000.00" (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 next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Maxwell Ashon" <akufoawuye@gmail.com>
Reply-To: maxwellvic55@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2019 11:21:51 +0100
Subject: Hi Friend!!

Dear Friend,

I decided to write you this proposal in good faith, believing that you
will not betray me.

I have been in search of someone with the same last name of our late
customer and a close friend of mine ( Mr.Richard ) , hence I contacted
you because both of you bear the same surname and 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. Maxwell Ashon , a
reputable banker here in Accra Ghana .

On the 15 March 2007, the young millionaire ( Mr.Richard ) a citizen
of your country and Crude Oil dealer made a fixed deposit with my bank
for 60 calendar months, valued at US$6,500,000.00 (Six Million, Five
Hundred Thousand US Dollars) and the mature date for this deposit
contract was on 16th of April, 2012. But sadly he was among the death
victims in the 12 May 2008, Earthquake disaster in China that killed
over 58,000 people. Because he was in China on a business trip and
that was how he met 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 Mr.Richard 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 bear same last name 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 reveal further information / details to you as soon as I
receive your positive reply.

Have a nice day and I Anticipating your communication.

Regards,
Mr. Maxwell.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam