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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: "ROBERT KOFI" <kofirobert_0000@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: rkofi@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 05:41:32 +0000
Subject: 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
ATTN: SIR,
RE: SWIFT TRANSFER OF US$4.5 MILLION INTEREST INTO
YOUR ACCOUNT
I am MR. ROBERT KOFI, the Head of Treasury
Department of HSBC BANK ACCRA GHANA.
Sometime ago, in our bank your contract money was
brought to our bank from Economic Community of West
African Foreign Contractor Payment Panel made of with
the following countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Rep.
Benin, Senegal, Ivory-coast, Gambia, Mali, etc.
(Ecowas), AND AFTER SOME PERIOD, They call the fund
bank to their treasury in World Bank. For the period
of time this money was in our bank, it generated an
interest of US$4.5 Million, which we considered your
long suffering as one of the West African Countries
contractor that have not received his/her payment and
we decide to pay you this interest fund via Swift
Transfer into your account.
What we need from you now is any form of your
identification for example; your international
passport number or you’re driving license
number, then your telephone and fax number for easy
communication. In view of this you are hereby
instructed to contact this office immediately you
receive this fax/Email message and reconfirm your bank
particulars.
The HSBC Bank is therefore apologizing for any form
of delay you might have encountered in the course of
the transfer. We are poised to serve you better.
Expecting your immediately response.
Waiting to hear from you. Thanks and God bless you
in all your endeavours towards this transaction.

Reply To: rkofi@hotmail.com

Best Regards,
MR. ROBERT KOFI
HEAD OF TREASURY DEPARTMENT
HSBC BANK
ACCRA GHANA

_________________________________________________________________
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