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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 about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "FROM HSBC BANK GHANA" <dedoris@tiscali.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: frimwusu@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2006 10:42:22 +0000
Subject: RE: SWIFT TRANSFER OF US$4.5 MILLION INTEREST INTO YOUR ACCOUNT

HSBC Equator
Member HSBC Group,
Accra-Ghana.
International Transfer
Processing Department
Trust Towers Asylum Down,
2nd Floor
PMB.CCCI Cantonments, Accra Ghana
REF: HSBCBA/GHA/ACC/01/05
Cantonments, Accra Ghana.

E-mail:frimwusu@yahoo.com



DEAR SIR,


RE: SWIFT TRANSFER OF US$4.5 MILLION INTEREST INTO YOUR ACCOUNT
I am DR.FRIMPONG OWUSU,Director,Treasury Department of HSBC BANK,ACCRA GHANA.
We hAVE in our bank some interest that accrued from lodgement of fundS which was brought to our bank and after some period was withdrawn.The funds where made available for the settlement of debts owed foreigners by some ECOWAS member State. Within the period of time this fund was in our bank, it generated an interest of Four million,five hundred thousand United States of America Dollars (US$4.5M, which we intend remitting into your bank account.The payment shall be made via Swift Transfer into your account for safe keeping and sudsiquent sharing.

What we need from you now is your Bank Account details,that is,account name, number and address of Bank where we can transfer the money.
Please kindly endeavour to send to me also, copy of your international travelling passport or your driving license for the purpose of identification when we shall visit your country for our share.

As a matter of fact we don't have enough time to waste and would be grateful if you can contact me without delay.
please reply to my private email box as above.

Best Regards,
DR.OWUSU FRIMPONG
DIRECTIOR,TREASURY DEPARTMENT
HSBC BANK ACCRA GHANA











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