419 scam: "Mr.John Osei" <josei013@yahoo.co.in> Urgente

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "a reliable and reputable person to handle this" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "there are practically no risks 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.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mrjohn.osei001@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.John Osei" <josei013@yahoo.co.in>
Reply-To: mrjohn.osei001@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 08:07:35 +0530 (IST)
Subject: Urgente

>From the Desk of Mr.John Osei,
Manager, International Commercial Bank,
Takoradi Ghana.

Good day,

I hope this may not constitute sort of embarrassment to you, first I must solicit your confidence in this transaction, this is by virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential and top secret. But I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day. I have decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction, as I wish to rely on your discreteness and ability in transaction of this nature. Let me start by introducing my self properly to you, my name is Mr.John Osei,I am the regional bank manager of the International Commercial Bank of Ghana.

I came to know about you in my Private Search for a reliable and reputable person to handle this Confidential Transaction. I am 44years of age and married with 3 lovely kids. It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and INTEGRITY; I only hope we can assist each other.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us, as the regional Auditor General of the International Commercial Bank; it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end of each year. On the course of the year 2009 end of year report, I discovered that an excess profit of four million five hundred and fifty thousand dollars [US Dollars$4,550,000.00] which my head office are not aware of and will never be aware of. I have since placed this fund on what we call SUSPENSE ACCOUNT without any beneficiary.

As an officer of the bank I can not be directly connected to this money, this is why I am contacting you for us to work so that you can assist and receive this money into your bank account for us to SHARE. The sharing of the fund is thus: 45% for you 45% for me and the remaining 10% for any Tax or Vat expenses incurred in this transaction.

Note that there are practically no risks involved in this transaction as it is 100% risk free and legally bonded, it will be bank to bank transfer, all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of this fund who made the deposit with Takoradi branch so that my Head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account. If you accept this offer to work with me, if you find this proposal suitable for you, do furnish me with the following information. You're full Name and Contact Address, Your private telephone Number, Your Age, Your Occupation and Position.

I will appreciate it very much, If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not make undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed on you, and I assure you we can achieve it successfully.You can also reach me on my alternative email: mrjohn.osei001@gmail.com

Best regards,

Mr.John Osei.

Telephone: 00233276377173

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