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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: "Stanley Yako" <stanleyyako47@mobimail.mn>
Reply-To: stanleyyako@voila.fr
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 02:29:35 +0000
Subject: From: Mr Stanley Yako


From: Mr Stanley Yako.
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
West Africa.

Dear Friend,

I know that this message will come to you as a surprise. I AM A SECRETARY TO
THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DIRECTOR in commercial bank here in Abidjan Cote
d'Ivoire. I Hope that you will not expose or betray this trust and confident
that I am about to repose on you for the mutual benefit of our both
families.

I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of ($7million US
dollars) to your account within 14 banking days. This account has been
dormant for years in our Bank without claim. I want the bank to release the
fund to you as the nearest person to our deceased customer, the owner of the
account died along with his supposed next of kin in an air crash since July
31st 2000.I don't want the fund to go into our Bank treasurer as an
abandoned fund. So this is the reason why i contacted you so that the bank
can release the fund to you as the next of kin to the deceased customer.
Please I would like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and delete it
if you are not interested.

Upon receipt of your reply, I will give you full details on how the business
will be executed and also note that you will have 35% of the above mentioned
sum if you agree to handle this business with me.

Best Regard.
Mr.Stanley Yako.

Anti-fraud resources: