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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: "Ken Morgan" <kenmorgan3@gmail.com>
Reply-To: kenmorgan13@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:52:34 +0100
Subject: From Mr. Ken Morgan

Dear Friend,

My name is Ken Morgan, a banker based in Ghana.I am reaching out to
you in respect of an opportunity that will be beneficial to both of us. I
want you and I to make some fortune out of a situation that I am obviously
left
with no other better option. I appologise if contacting you through this
medium
does not suit your business or personal ethics. Though I have not considered
this medium to be the best manner to have approached you on this issue being
that the internet has been greatly abused over the recent years and is much
unsecured for information of vital importance. I have decided to take
the chance seeing that no other means could have been faster and more
efficient than the e-mail.

I write to you irrespective of the fact that we do not
know ourselves. I am soliciting your assistance in repatriating the funds
left behind by my late client before it is declared unserviceable by the Bank
where the huge deposit is lodged.

My Client who is an American died couple of years ago and every attempt
to trace any member of his extended family has proved unsuccessful as he
died with his wife and only daughter Karin in a fatal auto crash. Do note
that
your identity or country of origin does not matter. I will simply present you
as my client's business partner and the fund was meant for a joint venture
between you and my late client. I will give you more information upon your
response.
If
this proposal is acceptable to you, kindly email your following
information to me:

(1). Private Telephone and fax numbers.

(2). Your postal/residential address.

(3). Identification.

(4) Occupation.

I humbly look forward to your soonest response.

Yours Faithfully,

Ken Morgan

Anti-fraud resources: