joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
 Free trial for 30 days
   jwSpamSpy
Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "Williams Mensah" <wmensah5221@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: w_mensah206@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 12:25:05 +0000
Subject: Please I Need Your Help.

Hello Dear,

First i am Mr Williams Mensah, a Ghanaian origin, a coordinator contract
award and review committee (i am the head of the committee). Our main
responsibilities/work is to award, review all government contract projects
to cooperate individuals or organizations.The only source we can benefit
>from this contract project is over invoicing the prices, apart from our
monthly salary,this is to tell you clear the source of this fund (over
quotation from contract projects).Since two years ago, i was able to save
and come with this amount,US$2.5m (Two million five hundred thousand
dollars), which was deposited in one of the bank, in account called escrow
account.

Now the main reason why i contacted you is to receive this fund on my
behalf, because;
(A.) We are not allowed to operate on foreign account transfer transactions
while in service.
(B.)We cannot establish foreign project while on duty post, unless after our
resignation or retirement from government service or after retirements.So
what i want you to do is, i will release the contact of the bank, including
the account informations for you to contact the bank directly for the
release and transfer of the money into your own bank account.

After your reply, i write an application letter, and send it to you, to
forward it to the bank address which i will give you, very simple, there is
no risk or problem in this, i assure you, so many people who was working
here as the head of this organization has done this and some resigned, some
retired.I will be ready to send you my international passport and my working
identity card through email attachment for identification as soon as i hear
>from you.

Note for your effort in this, you will have US$800,000 Eight hundred
thousand dollars as your benefit as soon as you confirm that the money is in
your account, if bank approved the application, it will take less than eight
working days to concluded this.

Note, that you will not let any bank official here know that i am the one
given you these informations, as soon as you receive this money, i will
resign.

Please do send the below details for immediate processing.

1. Full name and address.
2. Phone and fax numbers respectively.

Please do reply through my private email address below:

w_mensah206@yahoo.co.uk

Thank you for understanding.

MR. WILLIAMS MENSAH
RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
No GHD 5654 ROMA-HILLS
ESTATE KUMASI
GHANA.

_________________________________________________________________
FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar - get it now!
http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/

Anti-fraud resources: