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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Ghankay Paul Taylor" <incumbency@msn.com>
Reply-To: ghankay022@yahoo.it
Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 23:43:53 +0000
Subject: STRICTLY URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL

                               STRICTLY URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL

Dear Sir/Madam


This letter might come to you as a surprise but due to our present family problems, I just have to call for help. We have been searching for a trustworthy person, We have seen none. I pray you help us out of this.

I am Paul Ghankay Taylor the son of Charles Ghankay Taylor, The former president of Liberia whom later accept an offer of asylum from the Nigeria president on august 11/2003. before then my father asset was frozen by the bush administration July 23/2003

My father lost his appeal against being prosecuted for war crimes may 31/2004 because the prosecution says my father backed the former REVOLUTION UNITED FRONT (RUF) in exchange of Diamond and Precious Stones worth Millions of Dollars now that there is no hope for him to walk freely, he now confide in me and my mother by letting us know that he has a huge sum of money somewhere in Europe the sum of (25,000,000,00) Twenty Five Million Dollars which he deposited with a Security firm in Europe.

This firm operates in fund managements/international cash bullion/underwriters/ and security handling, general appropriation. I was told by my father that he indicated my name as next of kin.


Since I do not have a legitimate business in
Europe (ltaly where I presently reside as a political asylum seeker) to back up this fund and the political problems involving my family. I am soliciting for your assistance secretly to put this fund in your Bank account pending my arrival in your country.

It has been agreed that 70% of the whole sum will be for my family and 25% will be for your assistance while the balance 5% will be for any expenses incurred during this transaction.

please, contact me on Tel/Fax +393285913829 for more directives on how best we can successfully get this fund safely into your account
Please remember that this is (STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL) as my identity should not be made known considering my diplomatic status as an asylum seeker.

I await your response

Best Regards,
Paul Ghankay Taylor.

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