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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From:
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:56:24 +0000
Subject: DEAR SIR/MADAM


My name is Mr Lawrence Adu-Mante.
I am the Regional Manager of commercial Bank of Ghana,[G.C.B] Accra branch Ghana.I write you this proposal in good faith; I am a man of peace, and I have sincere respect for human feelings and opinions. I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and I. As the Regional Manager of Ghana Commercial Bank [G.C.B] it is my duty to send in financial report to my head office in the capital city, Accra at the end of each business year.
On the course of last year, 2008 business report, I discovered that the bank's branch that i manage made 6.550 Million United States Dollars ($6,550,000.00) which my head office, I have kept this away from the Head office and irrelevant personnel for the success of my motive.
I have placed this funds in Escrow account with no beneficiary. But as an officer of this bank I cannot be directly connected to this money, so I have considered and decided to contact you for assistance in tansferring this sum into your bank account as the beneficiary of the our late customer/client whom i investigated and discovered died in an automobile accidents just months afters He made the deposit without including a next of kin. I am willing to offer you up to 40% of the entire sum on the fufilment of your part in the process. There are practically no risks involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law, it will be simply a bank to bank transfer. Immediately I hear from you, we will proceed to contactting the barister for the preparation of all neccessary legal documentations, and if all arrangements are finalized, Transfer can be done under few working days. I need your help in this risk free enterprise, you have absolutely nothing to loose.
My emails are (mr_lawrencenewton@yahoo.com, mr_lawrencenewton@mail2ghana.com, mr.lawrencenewton@hotmail.com)
I wait for your reply.
Sincerely,
Mr. Lawrence Newton Adu-Mante
Ghana Commercial Bank [G.C.B]
Accra, Ghana

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