joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Paul Acquah" <drpaulacquah_bankofghana@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 01 Nov 2005 08:52:33 +0000
Subject: From: Bank Of Ghana ( Reply )

FROM THE DESK OF THE GOVERNOR
BANK OF GHANA (BOG) REPUBLIC OF GHANA

Dear Sir/Madam,

IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF YOUR CONTRACT IHERITANCE ON CONTRACT
#:MAV/GNPC/GH/MIN/009.


>From the records of outstanding contractors due for payment with the
Government of Ghana your name and company was discovered as next on the list
of the outstanding contractors who have not received their payments. I wish
to inform you that your payment is being processed and will be released to
you as soon as you respond to this letter. Also note that from my record in
my file your outstanding contract payment is US$15.7 million dollars
(Fifteen Million Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollar.

Please re-confirm to me if this is inline with what you have in your record
and also re-confirm to me the followings:
1) Your full name.2) Phone, Fax and Mobile #.3)
Company name, Position and Address.4) Profession, age
and marital status.5) Any kind of identification

As soon as this information are received, your payment will be made to you
in a certified bank draft or wired to your bank account directly from Bank
of Ghana and the copy of transfer will be given to you for you to take to
your bank and confirm it.


Get back to me as soon as you receive this mail to my secured alternative
Email : drpaulacquahbankofghana@rediffmail.com

Cordially yours,

Dr. Paul Acquah
Governor (BOG)


Anti-fraud resources: