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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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Fraud email example:

From: "ELDER BENJAMIN COLE" <cole_benjamin75@yahala.co.il> (may be fake)
Reply-To: cole_benjamin54@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 10:35:37 +0200
Subject:

Accounting Department,
EcoBank. Cotonou,
Benin Republic.
DIRECTLINE + 229 98 99 72.
DEAR FRIEND,

I am ELDER BENJAMIN COLE, Auditor, with Accounting Department,Ecobank here in Cotonou, Benin Republic. I got your very good name and e-mail address from the online classified on the net.I have decided to contact you purely on the personal conviction of trust and cofidence that we can co-operate with one another and do a very lucrative business for our mutual benefit.

The Business I am proposing to you is in respect of the sum of US$11,183,000.00(Eleven Million One Hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand United States Dollars Only)deposited in Dollar account with my bank which belonged to Mr Mohamed Saleh Ibrahim who died on 25th July,2000 in a plane crash,he is an Engineering contractor. My bank has made several efforts at contacting the family of Mohamed Saleh Ibrahim or his relatives, but all have proved abortive as he had no identifiable kin\'s men.

This sum of US$11.183M has remained lunclaimed ever since then and nobody has come forward as his next of kin. The management under the influence of our chairman and member of the board of directors has made an arrangement for the fund to be declared \'UNCLAIMABLE\' and subsequently be turned to the reserve account of the bank. It is against the background of the foregoing, that one of my colleague and myself in the bank have decided to contact you for assistance and partnership, for you to stand as the next of kin to Mr Mohamed Saleh Ibrahim.

With your permission this fund will be transferred to your private account abroad as the beneficiary and next of kin to Mr Mohamed Saleh Ibrahim. All proof of claim and necessary documentation will be carefully worked out in your favour and we assure you of 100% risk free involvement and protection.

Consequently, if you find this proposal acceptable to you and you wish to assist us, I expect your urgent response and upon receipt of that,we shall discuss and agree on the disbursement and sharing ratio. Let me therefore expect your very urgent response through my phone,Please endeavour to include your private phone and fax number and also your banking particulars and your full name and address.Please keep our dealings very private and confidential.

As I await your urgent response. Please kindly reply to letter and as well state your wish in this deal .


Thank you and best regards

Yours Faithfully,

ELDER BENJAMIN COLE.
DIRECTLINE + 229 98 99 72.
Please Reply Me To My Private Email Address(cole_benjamin54@yahoo.fr)








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