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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: "Eric Mensah" <er_19men@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: ericmensah1@myway.com
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 11:08:56 +0000
Subject: GOOD FOR ME AND YOU

From: The Manager,
International Commercial Bank Ghana
First Light Branch
Accra, Ghana.

Sir,

I got your contact during my search on the Internet. My name is Mr. Eric
Mensah. I am the manager of the International Commercial Bank Ghana, First
Light Branch Accra. I am a Ghanaian married with two kids.

I am writing to solicit your assistance in the noble transfer of US$
3,550.000.00. This fund is the excess of what my branch made as profit
during the last year. I have already submitted an approved End of the last
Year report for the year 2005 and also submitted report of first quarter of
this year 2006 to my Head Office here in Accra and they will never know of
this Excess. I have since then, placed this amount of US$ 3,550.000.00 on a
SUSPENSE ACCOUNT without a beneficiary. As an officer of the bank, I cannot
be directly connected to this money. I am encouraged to request for your
assistance to receive this money into your bank account. I intend to part
30% of this fund to you while 70% shall be for me. I do need to stress that
there are virtually no risk involved in this. It is going to be a
bank-to-bank transfer to your nominated bank account anywhere you feel
safer. All I need from you is to stand as the original depositor of this
fund. If you accept this offer,

I will appreciate your timely response.

With regards,

Mr. Eric Mensah.

_________________________________________________________________
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