419 scam: "DR.KWAME ATTA"<attaj114@terra.es> ATTN: BENEFICIARY

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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:
- "waiting for your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "DR.KWAME ATTA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kwame.ecowas.off.gh@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:32:56 -0700
Subject: ATTN: BENEFICIARY

FOLLOWING MY NEW APPOINTMENT AS THE NEW ECOWAS HEADS OF STATES FOREIGN PAYMENT COMMITTEE,MAY I TAKE THE LIBERTY TO INFORM YOU THAT TODAY IS GOING TO MARK THE BEGINNING OF YOUR SUCCESS IN RECEIVING YOUR OVER DUE PAYMENT.I AM NOW THE CHAIRMAN, HEADS OF STATES,PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ECOWAS,REGIONAL FOREIGN PAYMENT COMMISSION OFFICE, HERE IN ACCRA, GHANA.

NOW I AM IN GHANA FOR THIS NEW APPOINTMENT ,YOUR PAYMENT FILE IS ONE OF THE FIRST THAT I AM ATTENDING TO IN MY NEW CAPACITY, AND I CAN ASSURED YOU MY MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE THAT YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE CONCLUDED THIS TIME NOW WITHOUT STRESS.

PLEASE, GET BACK TO ME QUICKLY WITH YOUR CURRENT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR EASY COMMUNICATION.
WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONSE .

WITH REGARDS

DR.KWAME ATTA
CHAIRMAN ECOWAS PAYMENT COMMISSION.
HEAD OFFICE ACCRA GHANA.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam