419 scam: "Mr. Kwesi Fombot" <kwesifombot@att.net> NEED YOUR ATTENTION

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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.

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Kwesi Fombot" <kwesifombot@att.net>
Reply-To: "Mr. Kwesi Fombot" <kwesi.fombot@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2011 07:27:04 -0800 (PST)
Subject: NEED YOUR ATTENTION

Barr.Kwesi Fombot
Legal Practitioner,Solicitor & Attorney
Kwesi Fombot & Associates
No.105 East Legon Avenue,
P.O.Box 6543,
Accra - Ghana.

Dear Friend,
I am Barr. Kwesi Fombot, an attorney to a Bank in Accra Ghana.
Your fellow citizen who worked as an engineer to a constructing fame in
Accra-Ghana died in an auto crash with his wife and only daughter leaving the
sum of $3.7million with the bank of which am privileged to be the attorney. This
happened on the 29th day of April 2009 and ever since then,the fund has been in
a dormant account hence no beneficiary.
The Bank has issued a notice of 21 official working days to provide the next of
kin to all dormant accounts or have their accounts frozen which is geared
towards Bank re-capitalization.

My proposal is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and
beneficiary, since you are of the same country and none of the relatives was
found so the proceeds on this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the
amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. All legal documents to back up your
claims as his next-of-kin will be provided for, as we will be contacting his
account manager to help us acquire all the necessary documents. All I require is
your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through.

This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from
any breach of the law.
NOTE: If this business offends your moral values,do accept my apology but if
not,send your name and phone number for better explanation to indicate your
interest.

Thanks,
Kwesi Fombot

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam