419 scam: "Tony Ken"<tony00ken@gmail.com> Dear Friend

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2347041372538 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- tony000ken@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Tony Ken" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tonykennmr@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:47:02 -0700
Subject: Dear Friend

Dear Friend,

My name is Mr Tony Ken,

A Banker in one of the reputable Bank here in my Country-Nigeria . I have decided to contact you on a business proposal of $40.5M ( Forty Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars ).
The depositor of the said fund died with his wife and children in a crash. The deceased customer used his wife as the next of kin but unfortunately, The wife died along side with him leaving nobody for the claim.

According to our Banking law, If the fund remain unclaimed for three (3) Years then the fund will be transferred into the reserve Bank as unclaimed Bill. And I don't want the fund to go into the Bank's treasury and as such, let us claim the fund now.

I want to present you as his business partner so that the Bank will transfer the fund into your Bank account for us to share it.Your percentage will be 40% while 50% will be for me. Then 10% will be used for expenses and to install a joint company in your country which will bear our names.
As an insider in this Bank, I assure you that, this transaction is 100% risk free and legal. And it success will bring your family and mine to an everlasting relationship in future.

The transaction will take us only 14 Bank working days depending on your swift response. If you are willing to do the transaction with me, Contact me for more details through this e-mail(tony000ken@gmail.com) and give me your FullName and Address.............. / Phone no...............to enable us proceed further.

Thanks for your co-operation,

Mr Tony Ken.
Senior Staff Manager.
Tel: + 234 7041372538.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam