419 scam: MR LAWRENCE DONKOH <lawrencedonkoh101@yahoo.com> Your Urgent Response Is Needed

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "it will be a bank to bank transfer" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: MR LAWRENCE DONKOH <lawrencedonkoh101@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:03:22 +0700
Subject: Your Urgent Response Is Needed

FROM THE DESK OF MR LAWRENCE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK, BRANCH OFFICE ACCRA, GHANA WEST AFRICA. DEAR FRIEND, MY NAME IS LAWRENCE DONKOH I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK OF GHANA BRANCH IN ACCRA GHANA. I GOT YOUR INFORMATION ON GHANA CHAMBER COMMERCE MINES AND INDUSTRIES . I WRITE YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD FAITH, I AM 52 YEARS OLD MARRIED WITH TWO LOVELY KIDS. I HAVE PACKAGED A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND I, AS THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE 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 BUSINESS YEAR. ON THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR 2008 FINANCIAL BUSINESS REPORT, I DISCOVERED THAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE $15 MILLION US DOLLARS($15,000,000.00) WHICH MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF. I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON 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 40% OF THE TOTAL FUND 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 FUNDS 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. PLEASE KINDLY REPLY ME BY EMAIL IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE DETAILS. THANKS YOU IN ADVANCE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. YOURS TRULY MR LAWRENCE DONKOH

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam