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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: "Koffi Ansa" <koffiansa01@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 09:38:50 -0800
Subject: YOUR URGENT REPLY

MR KOFI ANSA
GRAND FINANCE&TRUST BANK,
COTONOU-BENIN REPUBLIC,

DEAR SIR.

THANKS TO A PIECE OF INFORMATION I GATHERED ABOUT YOU THROUGH THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY,ALTHOUGH I DID NOT LEAVE ANY CLUE AS TO THE REASON FOR
MY INQUIRY BEARING IN MIND THE CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIRED IN THIS ABSOLUTE
RISK FREE BUSINESS.

I AM MR KOFI ANSA, ONE OF THE MANAGERS OF GRAND FINANCE & TRUST BANK HERE IN
COTONOU-BENIN

HOWEVER,RECENTLY WE DISCOVERED A DORMANT ACCOUNT WITH A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY
VALUED USD35,000,000.00(THIRTY FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS) THAT BELONG TO ONE
OF OUR CUSTOMERS MR MUSA MUSTAFA WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH IN NOVEMBER 1998.

DURING THE PERIOD OF OUR INVESTIGATION WE DISCOVERED THAT THE DECEASED DIED
ALONG WITH HIS FAMILY, LIVING NO WILL AND NOBODY BEHIND TO COME FOR THE
CLAIM AS
NEXT OF KIN.

THE BANKING LAW HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAIN UNCLAIMED FOR
SOMETIME, IT WILL BE FORFEITED TO THE BANK TREASURY AS AN UNCLAIMED BILL. A
PERSON OF MY COUNTRY CANNOT STAND AS A NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.IT IS UPON
THIS DISCOVERY THAT I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU TO COLLABRATE WITH YOU TO PULL
OUT THIS DORMANT FUND.

PLEASE, REACH ME URGENTLY THROUGH THIS EMAIL ADDRESS TO ENABLE ME GIVE YOU
THE FULL DETAILS OF THIS TRANSACTION AND HOW IT IS GOING TO WORK OUT. WHAT I
WANT FROM YOU IS YOUR COOPERATION AND FOR YOU TO ACT AS THE DECEASED NEXT OF
KIN SINCE YOU ARE ALSO A FOREIGNER.


FUTHER INFORMATION WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS SOON AS I RECIEVE YOUR POSITIVE
RESPONSE VIA,THIS E-MAIL ABOVE.PLEASE KINDLY SEND YOUR TELEPHONE/FAX MAILING
ADDRESS AND YOUR FULL NAMES TO ENABLE ME CONTACT YOU IMMEDIATELY.

NOTE, WITH MY POSITION IN THIS FIRM I WILL INFLOUNCE AND ARRANGE FOR THE
MONEY TO BE PAID TO YOU THROUGH THE AFFILIATE FINANCE COMPANY IN EUROPE.

ANTICIPATING YOUR URGENT REPLY.
BEST REGARDS,
MR KOFI ANSA


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