419 scam: "Mr. Isaac Mills"<zakimill@cc-ecowas.gh.com> Urgent Business investment

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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)
- "confidential business" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Isaac Mills" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <infoecowascommittee.team@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:30:13 -0000
Subject: Urgent Business investment

CHAIRMAN CONTRACT AWARDING
COMMITTEE ECOWAS HEADQUARTERS
KOFI ANNAN FOUNDATION PLOT 6 B11
HUMAN RIGHT COUNCIL ACCRA GHANA

Nice to meet you.

I am Mr. Isaac Mills, The chairman, Contract-Awarding Committee of the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS) with its fund headquarters in Accra Ghana. I wish to introduce to you this confidential business dealing with ECOWAS PAYMENT BUREAU of transferring the sum of (USD18, 500,000.00) into your personal or company's bank account. It is however agreed, as the account owner in this deal you will given 40% of the entire sum as compensation, 60% will be held on trust for us:-

(1) Assist in the transfer of the said funds by providing your personal or company's bank account.

(2) Advise on lucrative areas for investment in your country.

I will give you more details and procedures about this transaction when you indicate your interest by responding to this message. The information I require from you is this;

(1) your full name
(2)address
(3)telephone/ fax number.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law,

With regards

Mr. Isaac Mills

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam