419 scam: "MR JAMES OWUSU" <anax.33kamoka@att.net> Hello My Good 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:

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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million 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)
- "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)
- "there are practically no risks involved" (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 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.
- mrjames404@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR JAMES OWUSU" <anax.33kamoka@att.net>
Reply-To: <jowusu404@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2011 14:09:29 -0700
Subject: Hello My Good Friend,

From The Desk Of,
Mr James Owusu.
Head Regional Manager
International Commercial
Bank Accra-Ghana.
mrjames404@yahoo.com

Hello My Good Friend,

My name is Mr James Owusu .I am the Regional Manager of Ghana international commercial bank, Accra branch Ghana.I write you this proposal in good faith;I am married with two lovely children.

I am a man of peace, and have sincere respect for human feelings and opinions.I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and I As the Regional Manager of Ghana international commercial bank , Accra branch Ghana 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 last year,2010 business report, I discovered that the branch in which I am the Manager made 9.3million United States Dollars($9,300,000.00) which my head office is 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 30% of the total funds as commission.There are practically no risks involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law,it will be simply a bank-to-bank transfer,and all I need from you is to stand

claim as the original depositor of these funds who made the deposit with my branch so that my head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account under
few working days.

If you accept to work with me I will appreciate it very much as you are the first and the only person I am contacting for this
transaction.Send me an email as soon as you receive this message so that we can go over the
details.

Thank you in advance and may God bless you and your family.

Yours faithfully,,

Mr James Owusu.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam