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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: Iredia Kofi <irediakofi3@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 19:21:12 +0100
Subject: URGENT REPLY


*From Mr, Iredia kofi.
Box 1287 Port Shepstone
Chaka -South Africa.*
* kofi@merseymail.com
Dear Sir,
We want to transfer to overseas ($36,000.000.00 USD Thirty six million
United States Dollars) from a Bank in Africa. I want to ask you to quietly
look for a reliable and honest person who will be capable and fit to provide
either an existing bank account or to set up anew Bank account immediately
to receive this money, even an empty account
can serve, as long as you will remain honest to me till the end for this
important business, trusting in you and believing in God that you will never
let me down either now or in future.
I am Mr, Iredia kofi.the Auditor General of a bank in Africa. During the
course of our auditing I
discovered a floating fund in an account opened in the bank in 1995 and
since 1998 nobody has operated on this account again.After going through
some old files in the records I discovered **that the Owner of the account
died without a [heir] hence the money has been floating and if I do not
remit this money out urgently it will be forfeited for nothing.
The owner of this account is Mr. Ahmed Tariq, a foreigner and a sailor, he
died since 1998. No other person knows about this account or anything
concerning it, it has no other*
*beneficiary. My investigation proved to me as well that Mr. Ahmed Tariq
until his death was the manager Tariq Coy.(pty). SA.
I only want to first transfer $36,000.000[Thirty Six million United States
Dollar into a safe foreigners account abroad. but I don't know any
foreigner, I am only contacting you as
a foreigner because this money can not be approved to a local person here,
without valid international passport, but can only be approved to any
foreigner with valid international passport or drivers license and foreign
account because the money is in US dollars and the **former owner of the
account Mr. Ahmed Tariq is a foreigner too, and the money can only be
approved into a foreign account.
However, I got your contact address from my secretary who does not know the
need for it.
I am revealing this to you with believe that you will never let me down in
this business, you are the first and might be the only the only person that
I am contacting for this business, so please reply urgently so that I will
inform you the next step to take.I want us to meet face to face to build
confidence and to sign a binding agreement before transferring the money to
any account of your choice where the fund will be safe. Before we fly to
your country for withdrawal, sharing and investments.I need your full
co-operation to make this work, because the management is ready to approve
this payment to any foreigner who has correct information of this account,
which I will give to you, upon your positive response and once I am
convinced that you are capable and will meet up with instruction of a key
bank official who is deeply involved with me in this business.I need your
strong assurance that you will never let me down. With my influence and the
position of the bank official we can transfer this money to any foreigner's
reliable account which you can provide with assurance that this money will
be intact pending our physical arrival in your country for sharing.
The bank official will destroy all documents of transaction immediately we
receive this money leaving no trace to any place and to build confidence you
can come immediately to discuss with me face to face after which I will make
this remittance in your presence and three of us will fly to your country at
least two days ahead of the money going into the account.I will apply for
annual leave to get visa immediately I hear from you that you are ready to
act and receive this fund in your account.
I will use my position and influence to obtain all legal approvals for
onward transfer of this money to your account with appropriate clearance
from the relevant ministries and foreign exchange departments.
At the conclusion of this business, you will be given 35% of the total
amount, 60% will be for me, while 5% will be for expenses both parties might
have incurred during the process of transferring.
Hope to hear from you soonest.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr IREDIA.*
*
N.B. I need your phone and fax numbers.*

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