419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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.
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- reuben-dennis50@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr .T .S.BAsh" <efcc2007vol6@inmail24.com>
Reply-To: bashdrts@yahoo.com.co
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:28:05 +0600 (BDT)
Subject: UNCLAIMED LOTTO PRIZE PAYMENT NOTICE OF $ 2. 500,000,
00DOLLAR VERY URGENT

Dear Sir/ Madam,

On behalf of the Minister of Finance and other private sectors here in
Ghana brings out this Regular Mail Service to deliver the Unfinished
Transfer of Funds and Gratuity that is in the custody of different firms
and companies to the rightful owner in any countries. I am Mrs.Minsah
Nelson representing the (ZBA Express).

The Minister of Finance has ordered the FedEx, Dhl, Ups, First Bank,
Zenith Bank and other firms to release the bank draft and Atm cards to the
(ZBA) (Regular Mail Service), So that they can be mailed out to the
rightful owners, because there are too many complains coming to our desk
from different customers and the Government of Ghana that people are not
getting their Instrument to cash their funds and gratuity, e.g people are
not getting their Bank Draft and Atm Cards due to the fact that people are
not meeting up with the required demands and amount imposed by some of
this delivery companies, firms and other sectors and constant require of
fees that are too much for people to handle or handle.

We have series of Bank Drafts and Atm Cards here in our custody and they
are sealed and we don't know who and where they belong to we are getting
in touch with you to know if you have ever received an email regarding any
Bank Draft and Atm Cards please contact us back as we are ready to Mail
them to you this was the order given to me and the company by the Minister
of Finance here in Ghana.

Here is the contact Number and email address of the delivery firm that
will deliver your parcel

Full Names: - Mr.Reuben Dennis
Valid Email reuben-dennis50@hotmail.com
Tel # +233 0540571198

Our terms and condition for this service is for us to get the bank draft
and Atm cards to the rightful owner as we are not allowed to open them as
they are sealed and we need honest people that knows they have not yet
received their funds either in Bank Draft or Atm Cards, So we are
expecting to hear from you, As we know no Information about you.

Regards
Mrs.Minsah Nelson
ZbaExpress Service Consultant Management.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam