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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: "Dr Bidwell Johnson Akanchawa" <drbidwell_jakanchawa@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 11:58:43 +0000
Subject: ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FOR ACQUISITION OF ESTATE

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING
FEDERAL SECRETARIAT
LOME -TOGO, IN WEST AFRICA.
Phone +228 933 22 38
Alt.email bidwell_jakanchawa@zwallet.com

From:Dr. Bidwell Johnson Akanchawa.

Dear ,

ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FOR ACQUISITION OF ESTATE

I write to inform you of my desire to acquire estates or landed properties
in your country on behalf of the Director of Contracts and Finance
Allocations of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Togo.

Considering his very strategic and influential position, he would want the
transaction to be as strictly confidential as possible. He further wants his
identity to remain undisclosed at least for now,untill the completion of the
transaction.Hence our desire to have an overseas agent. I have therefore
been directed to inquire if you would agree to act as our overseas agent in
order to actualize this transaction.The deal, in brief,is that the funds
with which we intend to carry out our proposed investments in your country
is presently in a coded account at the Togo Apex Bank (i.e.the BANQUE
CENTRALE DES ETATS DE L'AFRIQUE DE L'OUEST).

And we need your assistance to transfer the funds to your country in a
convenient bank account that will be provided by you before we can put the
funds into use in your country. For this, you shall be considered to have
executed a contract for the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Togo
for which payment should be effected to you by the Ministry, The contract
sum of which shall run into US$53 000 000 Million,of which your share shall
be 20% if you agree to be our overseas agent. As soon as payment is
effected, and the amount mentioned above is successfully transferred into
your account, we intend to use our own share in acquiring some estates
abroad. For this too you shall also serve as our agent. In the light of
this, I would like you to forward to me the following informationed below:

1.Your company name and address if any
2.Your personal fax number
3.Your personal telephone number for easy communication.
You are requested to communicate your acceptance of this proposal through my
above stated email address after which we shall discuss in details the
modalities for seeing this transaction through.Your quick response will be
highly appreciated.

Thank you in anticipation of your cooperation.

Yours faithfully,
DR.Bidwell Johnson Akanchawa.

_________________________________________________________________
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