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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:

Fraud email example:

From: Micheal williams <mw5721442@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2023 04:53:13 -0700
Subject: My dear friend

My friend

My name is Michael Williams. I'm a newly promoted branch manager for a
bank here in Ghana, West Africa. I found your information while
searching the Internet.

You might want to know that I'm a pacifist and I don't want trouble.
Hope we can help each other. If you don't want this business offer,
forget it and we won't contact you again.

As a bank manager, I arrange financial transactions that benefit both
of us. At the end of each year, it is my duty to send financial
statements to my headquarters in Accra, the capital.

In the course of my final report for the end of 2022, I discovered
that my branch, which I manage, had an excess profit of [$18.5
million]. I have since put the funds into another account.

As a bank employee, I cannot directly relate to this money.

I will give you your 40% of the total funds but until I join your
country and share/invest some of my own funds you will not be able to
use your bank account for me. to keep your 60%. Thank you very much.

Once we receive your reply to this address (mw5721442@gmail.com) we
will provide you with details on how to make it successful.

at your disposal,
Mr. michael williams

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