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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: "Akasa Phillips" <akasa_phillips@hotmail.fr> (may be fake)
Reply-To: akasa.phillips@bol.com.br
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2006 20:46:13 +0200
Subject: SEEKING FOR YOUR CO-OPERATIONS

FROM: MR. AKASA PHILLIPS
LIBERIAN REFUGEE CAMP
ABIDJAN
COTE D'IVOIRE (IVORY COAST)

TEL: +22507938870


DEAR SIR,

I AM MR. AKASA PHILLIPS, FORMER SECURITY ADVISER TO HIS EXCELLENCY CHARLES TAYLOR WHO WAS THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA.

SEPTEMBER 2004, MY FAMILY AND I ESCAPED TO A NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY - IVORY COAST THROUGH THE HELP OF A FISHING BOAT. WE CAME INTO IVORY COAST WITH 2 METALLIC BOXES CONTAINING THE SUM OF $40,000,000 (FORRTY MILLION U.S. DOLLARS). THIS AMOUNT WAS PROCEEDS REALIZED FROM SALES OF GOLD AND DIAMONDS KEPT UNDER MY CUSTODY BY HIS EXCELLENCY FOR PURCHASE OF
ARMS AND AMINITIONS FOR THE PROSECUTION OF THE LIBERIAN CIVIL WAR AGAINST THE REBELS BEFORE TAYLOR WAS FORCED INTO EXILE IN NIGERIA.

ON ARRIVAL IN IVORY COAST, WE MADE ARRANGEMENT AND
DEPOSITED THE BOXES WITH A SECURITY COMPANY AND DECLARED THE CONTENTS AS PERSONAL VALUABLES IN
ORDER TO PREVENT THE SECURITY COMPANY FROM CARRYING OUT INSPECTION ON THE CONTENTS. AT THE TIME
OF DEPOSITS, NO NAME WAS ENTERED AS NAME OF THE OWNER OF THE CONSIGNMENTS, WE SIMPLY TOLD THE SECURITY COMPANY THAT THE OWNER WILL SOON COME FOR THE CLAIM WHICH THEY ACCEPTED AND ISSUED US A TEMPORARY RECEIPT OF IDENTIFICATION.

HONESTLY, MY INTENTION WAS TO SETTLE DOWN HERE WITH MY FAMILY AND THEN USE PART OF THE MONEY TO GO INTO ANY VIABLE INVESTMENTS HERE. UNFORTUNATELY, IVORY COAST IS PASSING THROUGH SIMILAR POLITICAL CRISIS BETWEEN REBELS FROM THE NORTHEN PART OF THE COUNTRY KNOWN AS BOUAKE AND THE GOVERNMENT FORCES IN ABIDJAN. THIS IS ALWAYS IN THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS, SUCH AS BBC AND VOICE OF AMERICA.

HOWEVER, NOW THAT WE WANT TO CLAIM THESE BOXES, THE SECURITY COMPANY HAS ASKED US TO COME FORWARD
WITH NAME OF THE RIGHTFUL OWNER OF THE CONSIGNMENTS TO ENABLE THEM ISSUE US ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF DEPSIT. IT IS BASED ON THIS I AM LOOKING FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER TO FRONT HIS NAME AS THE LEGITIMATE OWNER OF THE CONSIGNMENTS SINCE THE CASH CONTENTS IS GOING TO BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE PERSON'S FOREIGN ACCOUNT AFTER THE CLAIM.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE OFFICERS AT THE REFUGEE CAMP MUST NOT BE AWARE OF THIS TRANSACTION BECAUSE
WE DECLARED OUR ASSETS BEFORE WE WERE ADMITTED AS REFUGEES INTO THE REFUGEE CAMP UNDER THE SUPERVISON OF THE UNITED NATIONS. AND SHOULD THEY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS FUND, UNITED NATIONS WILL SEIZE IT. THIS IS A VERY CONFIDENTIAL MATTER PLEASE.

THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED TO RENDER THIS HELP
TO US, KINDLY LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY BY PHONE OR EMAIL.

ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:-

1. HOW MUCH WILL YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT AS YOUR COMMISSION AFTER THE TRANSACTION FOR RENDERING THIS
HELP TO US OR WILL $10,000,000M (TEN MILLION U.S. DOLLARS) BE OK FOR YOU??

2. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY VIABLE BUSINESS WE CAN INVEST THIS FUND WITH GOOD PROFIT MARGIN IN YOUR COUNTRY??

3. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST ABOUT HOTEL OR ESTATE MANAGEMENT, ANY IDEA??

4. I WANT TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO ENTERTAIN ANY FEARS FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT SINCE THIS IS A PERSONAL FUND THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOVERNMENT OF ANY COUNTRY.

5. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN TRACE OF THIS MONEY SINCE CHARLES TAYLOR LEFT OFFICE TILL DATE, SO PLEASE
FEEL VERY FREE TO REPLY IMMEDIATELY AS YOU ARE NOT FACED WITH ANY HARM OR DANGER FOR THIS PURPOSE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR GREAT CONCERN AND ASSISTANCE AS I WAIT FOR YOUR FAVOURABLE RESPONSE.

GOD BLESS YOU.

SINCERELY,

AKASA PHILLIPS.
0022507938870.





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