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: Costance Abbey <costance_abbey@yahoo.fr>
Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:39:41 +0000
Subject: Miss Costance Abbey


Miss Costance Abbey
12 Rue de Princess,Avenue 3
Treichville, Abidjan
Hello dear

With respect and humility, I decided to send this proposal to you, this =
however is not mandatory nor will I in any manner compel you to honour it =
against your will. Your profile pushed me to send you this mail, I am Miss =
Costance Abbey 20 years old and the only daughter of my late parents Chief. =
and Mrs.Charles Abbey My father was a highly reputable business man (a cocoa =
merchant and suppulier of agro allied material ) who operated in the capital =
of Ivory coast during his days.
It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in France during one of his =
business trips abroad in February 2005. Though his sudden death was linked or =
rather suspected to have been masterminded by an uncle of his who travelled =
with him at that time. But God
knows the truth!
My mother died when I was just 4 years old, and since then my father took me =
so special. Before his death on February 12, 2005, he told me about a box he =
concealed the sum of Twelve million, seven hundred thousand United State =
Dollars.(USD$10.400,000) deposited in a Security Company's here in Abidjan =
Ivory coast West Africa, which he disguised and declared the box to contain =
family valuables instead of money, by this way the company does not know the =
true content of the box. I have in my possesion the deposit document which =
the company gave to my late father when he deposited the box with the =
security company. The problem now is that I need someone to stand as my =
guardian and claim the consignment on my behalf. The company is not denying =
about the consignment, but the problem is that they want me to come forward =
with my guardian who will stand on my behalf before they release the =
consignment according to the agreement thereached with my late father. That =
is why I contact to please assist me and be my guardian.
I really don't know what to do now. This is because I have suffered a lot of =
set backs as a result of incessant political crisis here in Ivory coast. The =
death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life. I am in a sincere =
desire of your assistance in this regards. Your suggestions and ideas will be =
highly regarded. Now permit me to ask these few questions:-
Can you honestly stand as my guardian and negotiate with the company for the =
release of the consignment to you as my guardian? Can you assist me invest =
the money in it after receiving it, and also bring me out from here to your =
country? Can you come down here to enable both of us visit the company =
together ? Can I trust you without telling this to anyone else? What =
percentage will you take please.
As soon as I hear from you and you agree to assist me, I will give you the =
contacvt of the company and other information you need to contact the company =
as my guardian. I will also personally write to the company and inform them =
about you.

Please, Consider this and get back to me. I pray you find it in your heart to =
assist me.

My sincere regards,

Miss Costance Abbey.

Anti-fraud resources: