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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: Charles Benson <charlesbenson_12@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: charlesbenson_01@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:25:45 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Greetings


Greetings from Mr. Charles Benson

I write to seek your services in a private and
confidential matter regarding some funds unaccounted
for in our bank here in Ghana during the last 2007
business year. As the regional manager of the bank it
is my duty to send in financial report to my head
office in the capital city Accra at the end of each
business year. On the course of the last year 2007
business report, I discovered that my branch made five
million eight hundred and fifty thousand united state
dollars ($5,850,000.00) which my head office is not
aware of and will never be aware of.

I deposited this fund in an ESCROW CALL ACCOUNT at our
headquarters pending when I shall get a reliable
person. This requires a private arrangement. Could you
perhaps be able to receive these funds under legal
claims, then I will fill you in. your participation
will be 30% of the total money.

There are practically no risk involved, the
transaction shall be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of
the law, it will be simply bank-to-bank transfer. I
have all the details and will fill you in if you are
really willing to participate in the transaction. Your
major role will be to provide an existing account or
open a new bank account where the funds will be
transferred and stand as the original depositor of
this fund in our bank, as long as you will remain
honest to me till the end for this important business
trusting in you and believing that you will never let
me down either now or in future.

I shall be grateful if you would help me invest my own
part of the money in a very profitable business. I
have worked for this bank for the past 15 years yet I
have nothing to show for it. I will expect a straight
answer from you. If yes, please get back to me so that
we can work out the modalities without further delay.
With best regards,

Mr. Charles Benson




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