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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: pachampong@freenet.de
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:26:19 +0100
Subject: FROM: MR. SMITH


THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK
FIRST LIGHT KANESHIE BRANCH.
ACCRA
GHANA .
TEL: +233-248-701877
paulsmith@jmail.co.za

DEAR FRIEND,
I DO
UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN THIS LETTER WILL BRING TO YOU FOR THE FACT THAT
IT COMES FROM SOMEONE STRANGE TO YOU. BUT BE REST ASSURED FOR IT COME
WITH GOOD INTENTIONS. HOW EVER, AS I WAS GOING ON RESEARCH, LOOKING FOR
RESPONSIBLE AND TRUSTWORTHY SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP AND ASSIST ME IN THIS
BUSINESS/TRANSFERRING SOME FUND OUT FROM GHANA INTO HIS PERSONAL OR
COMPANY ACCOUNT OVERSEAS.
MY NAME IS MR. PAUL SMITH. I AM THE MANAGER OF
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK GHANA, FIRST LIGHT KANESHIE BRANCH. I
AM WRITING TO SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE TRANSFER OF
US$12,000,000.00.(TWELVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY).
THIS FUND
IS THE EXCESS OF WHAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE AS
PROFIT DURING THE LAST YEAR 2006. I HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED AN APPROVED
END OF THE YEAR REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2006 TO MY HEAD OFFICE HERE IN
ACCRA AND THEY WILL NEVER KNOW OF THIS EXCESS. I HAVE SINCE THEN, I HAVE
DEPOSITED THIS AMOUNT OF US$12,000,000.00. IN A SECURITY COMPANY,
WITH
THE DETAILS OF MY FRIEND WHO IS AN INVESTOR HERE IN GHANA, BUT
UNFORTUNATELY MY GOOD FRIEND LOST HIS LIVE IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT
FEW MONTHS AGO. ALL THE DOCUMENTS ARE PRESENTLY IN MY POSSESSION, ALL I
NEED FROM YOU IS TO CHANGE THE BENEFICIARY TO YOUR NAME AND TRANSFER
THE FUNDS INTO YOUR ACCOUNT OVERSEA.
AS AN OFFICER OF THE BANK, I
CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS MONEY THUS I AM IMPELLED 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 PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED IN THIS.
IT\'S GOING TO BE A BANK-TO-BANK TRANSFER.
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.
AFTER RECEIVING YOUR REPLY, YOU
WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO WITH THE EXACT STEPS TO TAKE.
I EXPECT YOUR
URGENT RESPONSE AND I SHALL CONTACT YOU FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS
MATTER, TO ENABLE US CONCLUDE THIS TRANSACTION URGENTLY WITHOUT ANY
DELAY OR HITCH.
PLEASE CALL ME OR REPLY BY EMAIL THROUGH MY RIVATE EMAIL
paulsmith@jmail.co.za WHEN REPLYING INCLUDE YOUR CONTACT PHONE AND FAX
NUMBERS FOR EASY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US. DO TREAT THIS BUSINESS
PROPOSAL AS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL FOR SECURITY REASONS CONSIDERING MY
OFFICIAL POSITION IN THE BANK.
PERSONAL REGARDS,
FROM: MR. PAUL A.
SMITH







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