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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: "Mensah Letter" <mail_letter05@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: menselo@latinmail.com
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2006 11:58:59 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY

 

Barrister  Mensah Elona,
Gigi & Elona Chambers,
Solicitors & Advocates.
06 BP 1409 Akpakpa Dodomey,
Cotonou - Benin Republic.
Hello,
I am Barrister  Mensah Elona, an attorney at law. This mail is written to
solicit your  assistance to be presented as next of kin to my deceased
client Mr Ronald Lake. He made a fixed deposit valued US 3.5M,(Three
Million,  Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) on september 1998 for 48
months maturity, with an intent of putting up a gold mining
company here in Cotonou and upon the maturity this bank started contacting him
but to no avail.
On 31 January, 2000, my clientele along with his wife died in a plane
crash of Alaska Airlines Flight number 261. You shall read more about the
crash on visiting this site(
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/)
The Governing Body of the bank has contacted me on this matter, based
on the fact that his supposed next of kin, happened to die in the said
crash and I am yet to provide any other Next of Kin to lay
claim to the fund.
Under a clear and legitimate agreement with  you, Ishall seek yourconsent
to be presented as the next of Kin,so that the proceeds of this account
now valued US 4.1 million, will be paid to you, so that the Bank will not
confiscate this fund, as the  banking law and guidelines here stipulates
that if such money remained unclaimed after four years, the money will
be transfered into the bank treasury as unclaimed fund
For the sake of  transparency on this matter, you are free to make
immediate contact with me through my mailbox, for furtherinformation
related to this matter.
Thank you very much for your anticipated acceptance
while I expect your prompt response.
Yours faithfully,
 Mensah Elona.

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