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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: "stella" <stella_benard@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 19:30:28 -0300
Subject: hi

DEAR SIR,
MY NAME IS STELLA BENARD
I HAVE THE COURAGE TO LOOK FOR A REALIABLE AND HONEST PERSON WHO WILL BE CAPABLE FOR THIS IMPORTANT BUSINESS, BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL NEVER LET ME DOWN EITHER NOW OR IN FUTURE.
I AM THE AUDIT MANAGER OF A BANK IN IVORY-COAST WEST AFRICA,THERE IS AN ACCOUNT OPENED IN THIS BANK IN 1998 AND SINCE 2002 NOBODY HAS OPERATED THIS ACCOUNT AGAIN.AFTER GOING THROUGH SOME OLD FILES IN THE RECORDS I DISCOVERED THAT IF I DO NOT REMITT THIS MONEY OUT URGENTELY IT WILL BE FORFEITED TO THE GOVERNMENT.THE OWNER OF THIS ACCOUNT IS MR M HERNANDEZ A FORIGNER AND THE MANAGER OF PETROL CHEMICAL SERVICE, A ELECTRICAL ENGINEER BY PROFFESSION AND HE DIED SINCE 2000.

NO OTHER PERSON KNOWS ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT OR ANYTHING CONCERNING IT, THE ACCOUNT HAS NO OTHER BENEFICIARY AND MY INVESTIGATION PROVED TO ME AS WELL THAT HIS COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT AND THE AMOUNT INVLOVED IS $6,800,000.00(SIX MILLION,EIGTH HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS.

I WANT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY INTO A SAFE FOREIGN ACCOUNT ABROAD BUT I AM ONLY CONTACTING YOU AS A FOREIGNER BECAUSE THIS MONEY CAN NOT BE APPROVED FOR TRANSFER TO ANY LOCAL BANK HERE BUT CAN ONLY BE APPROVED FOR TRANSFER TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT BECAUSE THE MONEY IS IN U.S DOLLARS AND THE FORMER OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT IS MR.M HERNANDEZ
AND HE WAS A FOREIGNER TOO.

I KNOW THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE AS WE DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER BEFORE, BUT BE REST ASSURED THAT IT IS REAL AND A GENUINE BUSINESS. I ONLY GOT YOUR CONTACT FROM OUR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE RESEARCH UNIT AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL NEVER LET ME DOWN IN THIS BUSINESS,YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON THAT I HAVE CONTACTED FOR THIS BUSINESS FOR NOW.

SO PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY. WHEN THE TRANSFER IS APPROVED AND PAYMENT SCHEDULED I WILL PROVIDE YOU AN ACCOUNT IN WHICH YOU WILL TRANSFER MY OWN PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY,I WILL USE MY POSITION IN THE BANK TO PROVIDE ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THIS FUND.I WILL COME TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR OTHER INVESTMENT PLANS.

AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS BUSINESS, YOU WILL BE GIVEN 25% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT, 70% WILL BE FOR ME, WHILE 5% WILL BE FOR EXPENSES BOTH PARTIES MIGHT HAVE INCURED DURING THE TRANSACTION. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EARLIEST RESPONSE GOD BLESS YOU AND
YOURFAMILY.

YOURS STELLA BENARD.


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