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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: Aicha Traore <a_traore2009@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 08:44:25 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: FROM Mr. AICHA TRAORE.










From: The Manager,
Ghana Commercial Bank Ltd.
Accra,
Ghana.
 
Sir,
 
I got your contact during my search for a
reliable, trust worthy and honest person to introduce this transfer
project with. My name is Mr. AICHA TRAORE. I am the manager of the Ghana
Commercial Bank Ghana, Branch Accra. I am a Ghanaian married with one
kids.
 
I am writing to solicit your assistance in the noble
transfer of US$5.500.000.00. This fund is the excess of what my branch
in which I am the manager made as profit during the last year. I have
already submitted an approved End of the last Year report for the year
2011 to my Head Office here in Accra and they will never know of this
Excess. I have since then, placed this amount of US$5.500.000.00 (Five
Million Five hundred Thousand United States Dollars) on a SUSPENCE
ACCOUNT without a beneficiary.
 
As an officer of the bank, I
cannot be directly connected to this
money thus I am impelled to request for your assistance to receive this
money into your bank account. I intend to part 30% of this fund to you
while 70% shall be for me. I do need to stress that there are
practically no risk involved in this. It is going to be a bank-to-bank
transfer to your nominated bank account anywhere you feel safer. All I
need from you is to stand as the original depositor of this fund.
 
If
you accept this offer, I will appreciate your timely response.
 
With
regards,
 
Mr. AICHA TRAORE.

Anti-fraud resources: