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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "tony mensah" <tonymensah_2005@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2005 10:00:24 +0000
Subject: ATTN......... Be Root

FROM:MR TONY MENSAH
ECOBANK LOME TOGO,WEST AFRICA
TELL:00228- 9159590
E-mail:tonymensah_55@hotmail.com

URGENT ATTN: FRIEND,

WITH DUE REGARDS MY NAME IS MR TONY MENSAH, THE MANAGER CREDIT AND FOREIGN
BILLS OF ECOBANK LOME TOGO [ECB] .I AM WRITING IN RESPECT OF FOREIGN
CUSTOMER OF MY BANK WITH ACCOUNT NUMBER 14-255-2004/ecb/tg WHO PERISHED IN A
PLANE CRASH [ETHIOPIAN AIRLINE 961] WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ABOARD.

SIR, SINCE THE DEMISE OF THIS OUR CUSTOMER I PERSONALLY HAVE WATCHED WITH
KEEN INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO ONE
HAS COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF USD.10.5 M, [ TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS]HAS BEEN WITH MY BANK FOR A VERY LONG TIME .
ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT
OF KIN AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO BE THE NEXT OF KIN. AND THE BANKING ETHICS
HERE DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY MORE THAN FOUR YEARS,BECUASE AFTER
FOUR YEARS THE MONEY WILL BE RECALLED TO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED IN
VIEW OF THIS I GOT YOUR IMPRESIVE CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S FOREIGN TRADE
MISSION DIRECTORY,AND I THERFORE CONSIDER YOUR FAVOURABLE TO BE USED AS THE
NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED.


THE REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED
BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A TOGOLESE CANNOT STAND AS
THE NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER. I AGREED THAT USD 2.5 M OF THIS MONEY WILL
BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGN PARTNER IN RESPECT OF PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT,WHILE THE
REST WILL BE FOR ME, THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT
AS I AM ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT .

THEREFORE TO ENDEAVOUR THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO ACCOUNT AS
APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS A RELATION TO THE DISEASED INDICATING YOUR
PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER, AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION AND LOCATION
WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED .

UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR I WILL SEND YOU BY FAX OR E-MAIL THE APPLICATION
AND THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE . I WIL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS
BUSINESS IS HITCH FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE
WHOLE REQUIRED ARRANGEMENT AS BEEN MADE FOR THETRANSFER. YOU SHOULD CONTACT
ME AS A MATTER OF FACT IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS
LETTER.TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSIBLE.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

MR TONY MENSAH
ECOBANK LOME TOGO
WEST AFRICA.
TELL:00228- 9159590
E-mail:tonymensah_55@hotmail.com

N/B: PLEASE CONTACT ME THROUGH MY PRIVATE E-MAIL : tonymensah_55@hotmail.com

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