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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: bendukonowa@ymail.com
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:18:13 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST........


ฉันมีที่อยู่อีเมลใหม่!ขณะนี้ คุณสามารถส่งอีเมลถึงฉันได้ที่ bendukonowaaa@yahoo.co.th



- DEAR , PERMIT ME TO INFORM YOU OF MY DESIRE OF GOING INTO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.I GOT YOUR NAME AND CONTACT FROM THE IVORIES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.I PRAYED OVER IT AND SELECTED YOUR NAME AMONG OTHER NAMES DUE TO ITS ESTEEMING NATURE AND THERE COMMENDATIONS GIVEN TO ME AS A REPUTABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY PERSON THAT I CAN DO BUSINESS WITH AND BY THERE COMMENDATION, I MUST NOT HESITATE TO CONFIDE IN YOU FOR THIS SIMPLE AND SINCERE BUSINESS. I AM BENDU KONOWA THE ONLY SON OF LATE MR. AND MRS. KERRY KONOWA. MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT IN ABIDJAN , THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST. MY FATHER WAS POISONED TO DEARTH BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR OUTINGS ON A BUSINESS TRIP.MY MOTHER DIED WHEN I WAS A BABY AND SINCE THEN MY FATHER TOOK ME SO SPECIAL.BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON MARCH 2002 IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN ABIDJAN HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS THE SUM OF TEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS($10,500,000.00). LEFT IN FIXED/SUSPENSE ACCOUNT IN ONE OF THE PRIME BANK IN GHANA WEST AFRICA, THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS ONLY SON FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSITING OF THE FUND.HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES. THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS MONEY AND USE IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE SUCH AS REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT OR HOTEL MANAGEMENT. PLEASE, I AM HONORABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS (1) TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT INTO WHICH THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO. (2) TO SERVE AS A GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND SINCE I AM ONLY 25YEARS STAYING IN A REFUGEE CAMP IN GHANA . (3) TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION AND TO SECURE A RESIDENT PERMIT IN YOUR COUNTRY.MOREOVER,PLEASE, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 15% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS COMPENSATION FOR YOU EFFORT/ INPUT AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND INTO YOUR NOMINATE ACCOUNT IN OVERSEAS. FURTHERMORE, YOU INDICATE YOUR OPTIONS TOWARDS ASSISTING ME AS I BELIEVE THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,YOU SIGNIFY INTEREST TO ASSIST ME. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU WRITE ME TODAY. ANTICIPATING HEARING FROM YOU SOON. THANKS AND GOD BLESS. BEST REGARDS, BENDU KONOWA


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