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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:

Fraud email example:

From: Fred Mensah <fmensah48@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 11:36:10 -0800
Subject: Hello Dear

FROM THE BRANCH MANAGER
BARCLAYS BANK PLC.
KUMASI BRANCH GHANA.

Hello Dear.

I got your contact search for a reliable, honest and a trust worthy
person to entrust this huge transfer project with. My name is Mr
Fred Mensah, I am the manager of the Barclays bank Kumasi Branch
Ghana. I am a Ghanaian, married with two kids. I am writing to solicit
for your assistance in the transfer of funds valued at $4,750,000.00 (
four million seven hundred and fifty thousand United States ).
This fund is the excess of what my branch in which I am the Manager
made as profit during the last annual audition. I have already
submitted an approved end of the year report for the year to my head
office in Accra and they will never know of this excess.

As an official of the bank i can not be directly connected to this
fund, so this informed me of contacting you for us to work for mutual
benefits.I want you to assist in receiving this fund into your bank
account for us. Meanwhile you will have 40% of the total fund. Note
there are practically no risks involved as it is going to be bank to
bank transfer. All i need from you is to stand as the original
depositor of this fund who made the deposit with our branch so that my
Head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account.

If you accept to work with me, i will appreciate it so much. As soon
as i receive your response, i will give you details on how we can
achieve it successfully.
Best Regards,

Mr Fred Mensah

Anti-fraud resources: