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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: "Mr.Austin Nyarko" <nyarkoaustin02@gmail.com>
Reply-To: nyarko.austin@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:02:37 +0100
Subject: This is your message reply me urgently,


DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS AUSTIN NYARKO. I AM THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF BARCLAYS BANK GHANA
LIMITED TAKORADI BRANCH IN THE WESTERN REGION OF GHANA.I GOT YOUR PERSONAL
INFORMATION THROUGH MY SEARCH ON WEBSITE. I WRITE YOU THIS PROPOSAL IN GOOD
FAITH.

I AM 44 YEARS OLD MARRIED WITH TWO LOVELY KIDS. I AM A MAN OF PEACE. I HAVE
PACKAGED A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND I. AS THE
REGIONAL MANAGER OF THE BARCLAYS BANK, IT IS MY DUTY TO SEND IN A 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 IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE TEN MILLION,FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$10,500,000.00) WHICH MY HEAD
OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF.

I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW CALL ACCOUNT WITH NO
BENEFICIARY. AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO
THIS MONEY. SO MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY
IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND GET 25% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AS COMMISSION.

THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED. IT WILL BE A BANK TO BANK TRANSFER;
ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS TO STAND CLAIM AS THE ORIGINAL DEPOSITOR OF THIS FUND
WHO MADE THE DEPOSIT WITH MY BRANCH SO THAT MY HEAD OFFICE CAN ORDER THE
TRANSFER TO YOUR DESIGNATED BANK ACCOUNT.IF YOU ACCEPT TO WORK WITH ME I
WILL APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. REPLY ME

IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE DETAILS.

THANKS IN ADVANCE AND MY REGARDS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

YOURS TRULY,

MR.AUSTIN NYARKO,

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