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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Godwin Kwesi" <godwinkwesi03@yahoo.co.in> (may be fake)
Reply-To: godwinkwesi00@yahoo.co.in
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2005 16:20:11 +0000
Subject: Good day

ATTN:
MY NAME IS MR. GODWIN KWESI. I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK OF GHANA,TAKORADI BRANCH IN THE WESTERN REGION OF GHANA.

I AM A 50 YEARS OLD MARRIED MAN BLESSED WITH FOUR LOVELY KIDS. I AM A MAN OF PEACE AND I DON’T WANT PROBLEMS, I ONLY HOPE YOU CAN ASSIST ME. IF YOU DON’T WANT THIS PROPOSAL YOU CAN AS WELL FORGET I EVER CONTACTED YOU.

I HAVE PACKAGED A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND I;
AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER 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. BUT IN THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR 2004 FISCAL REPORT, I DISCOVERED THAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE TWO MILLION NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND
UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($2,980,000 USD) WHICH MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF. THIS FUND I HAVE PLACED IN WHAT WE CALL "ESCROW CALL" ACCOUNT WITH NO BENEFICIARY.

AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS MONEY, SO MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND GET 20% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AS COMMISSION.THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED, IT WILL BE A 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 MY 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 VERY MUCH.
KINDLY RESPOND TO ME IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE DETAILS.
THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

YOURS TRULY,

MR.GODWIN KWESI



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