[gemmaster3000]

Hello I have a girlfriend in africa that sez her father left her $ 500,000.00 she wants to send it to me for investment here and than join me in u.s.a. her lawyer sent me papers to sign to facilitae the transfer. They want me to have an account here to deliver the money to. The paper work don't look bad but I don't know if it's a scam and there is some way they can get me in trouble with this. I thought that if I had a new account with just a few dollars in it would be OK but don't know. How can I find out about this with out handing over to a layer and having big bill 4 nothing maybe. She seam 4 real. Her barristers name in Ghana is Barr. Hillary Mensah. Maybe I shound call Ghana embasyhere in America. It you can help I would be so thankful . Sincerely Dennis Wack

[N0help4u]

It sounds like a scam I got a few months ago.
NO if you receive the money you can be charged with something similar to receiving stolen goods and accessory to a crime with intent...
Even if you have no wrongful intent HOW could you prove it in a court?

The lawyer is most likely as phony as a Bill Clinton $2. bill!

[johndoe99]

Have a look here:

http://www.419scam.org/emails/2008-03/19/index.htm

And your right, you should check with an Embassy to see if this is legitimate, it sounds too good to be true.

Contact your Girlfriend too, and tell her that the bank has to send you to the Police to have a check done for such a large transfer (Not true of course), and see what her response will be.

[slowandeasy]

This has scam written all over it, phoney lawyer,everything
Do you acutally know this girl or is it some one you met on line? I say walk away fast!!

[tickle]

Unfortunately this seems to be the scam century and they are always thinking of new ways to facilitate these money grabbing scemes. I would be wary about it, as I am sure you are seeing as you are asking. Yes, I would call the Ghana Embeassy here, or maybe you can locate their e mail address and do it that way.

Two questions: How long have you known this girl and who really asks an acquaintance, at a distance mind you, to help them deal with 500,000. She trust you so much and knows you so well that she would be willing do this with that amount of money?

[lawanwadee]

100% SCAM..

Please read.. https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/visas-...ud-288039.html

[twinkiedooter]

Not real. Who leaves someone $500,000 and has trouble getting it out of the country? Only a con artist has trouble with imaginary money like that.

[Lowtax4eva]

p.s. this girl is NOT your girlfriend, she is talking to you right now so she can make you accept this fake check and send her most of the money back... eventuallly your bank will find out it's a fake check and your account will be at -500,000

[gorgeouslady]

*screams scam* run for your life.

[sandkicker]

Mmmm... and even if it was real, the bank would notify the IRS IMMEDIATELY of the transfer. As an individual and not an investment firm, you would be hard put to avoid paying taxes on this at the maximum personal rate for income. Estimated taxes would need to be paid to the IRS immediately on the first day of the next quarter.

When you say "girlfriend"... how well do you know this person?? I would also tell her that no funds will or can be disbursed from this account (including legal fees.. etc... ) or your personal accounts, for at least 30 days. That will probably be the last you hear from her.

Even if she only asked for an advance or payment of a few hundred dollars, that's pretty good pay for just a few emails.

Generally, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you accept a paper check for deposit. Insist on a SWIFT wire transfer and ONLY from a bank that is a "correspondent" bank of your bank, otherwise you could end up liable for the transfer fees... IRS issues aside.

More than "receiving stolen goods" concerns as posted previously, I would be concerned about possible illegal currancy transfers ( many countries limit "export" of funds) or "money laundering" charges.