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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: koffi kojo <koffi_kojo20025@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 20:39:12 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE...



ATTEN/ Koffi Kojo.
ECO BANK PLC LOME TOGO [ECB]
WEST AFRICAN
URGENT RESPONSE
DEAR FRIEND

MY NAME IS MR Koffi Kojo. 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/utb/t 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 CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S FOREIGN
TRADE MISSION AFTER I WAS CONVNCED IN MY MIND THAT
YOUR NAME COULD BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN.

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 3.5 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 IMMEDIATTRANSFER OF
THIS FUND TO ACCOUNT AS APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS A
RELATION TO THE DECEASED INDICATING YOUR BANK
NAME,YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, 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 WILL 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 THE
TRANSFER.

YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME AS A MATTER OF FACT IMMEDIATELY
AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER.

TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED
MR Koffi Kojo











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