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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: "MARY KOFFI" <marykoffi00@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:15:58 +0000
Subject: URGENT??

Dear Friend,

Compliments of the day. I hope that this letter does not surprise you
because we have not met. However, I urge you to treat the information which
it contains with due and utmost attention. Apart from being eternally
grateful to you, I also assure that you shall be adequately compensated.

My name is Mrs Mary Koffi. I am the wife of Mr.Vincent Koffi who served as
the chief security officer to president Kabah of Sierra Leone.
Unfortunately, my husband was killed During the over throw of 24th December
2001.
I came to know of you in my search of a reliable person to handle a very
confidential business transaction, which involves the transfer of a huge sum
of $10,000,000.0( million US dollars) which was deposited in a finance
house.My husband depositted the fund for safe keeping during the time the
millitary were trying to overthrow president Tijan Kabah. My husband was
killed along with president kabah in that
coup d tect, and I am the only person who has all the legal documents to
claim this money.
My husband gave me all the legal documents that covers this fund days before
his death. I was waiting for things to cool down before making my move but
the recent crisis in my country has forced me to make the move now.For now,
i and my son is in refugee camp in Nigeria.

Right now, the money is in a safe place.I am using this opportunity to seek
for your assistance to transfer this money into your account to be invested
in your country. All you need to do is to forward to me an account where
this money will be sent to so that I can send my son (MICHAEL)to come over
to your country for investment.
We don't have any business to cover-up, that is why we need your assistance.
If you agree to this proposal, we shall discuss on the parcentage and I will
also forward to you all the legal documents that covers this fund for
confirmation.Please reply with this email address:
I awaits your quick response .

Yours faithfully,
Mrs Mary Koffi/ Michael son.


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