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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: "Billy Bangura" <azbbang3783@gmail.com>
Reply-To: azbbang378@yahoo.com.cn
Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 08:42:56 +0100
Subject: From Billy.


Dear Friend,


CONFIDENTIAL.
Compliment of the day!With the good reference made of your esteemed
personal/office by the chamber of commerce here in Accra Ghana, I hereby
wish to commence talks with you on a high confidential level.I am Billy
Bangura presently a political refugee in Accra Ghana the son of the
former MINISTER
OF FINANCE of SIERRA LEONE, MR THAIMU BANGURA a gold dealer.During the
recent crisis in my country, my late father was captured and killed by the
rebels who accused him of mis-appropriation of funds and
embezzlement.Shortly after his death, I and the rest of the family escaped
to Ghana-West
Africa region for safety.He [my late father] left some document with me
indicating consignment deposit made with a security company here in Ghana
before his death, which the content US $50M {Fifty Million United States
Dollars}.I and my family are soliciting for your personal assistance with
top arrange and to receive this money on behalf of my family and ensure that
the money is utilized wisely in a country of stable Economy like your
country. The purpose of the money will be for a viable investment after we
have collected the money from the security Vault Company. The box was
deposited for safe-keeping and your assistance is required because our
status as political refugee does not permit us to handle large sum of money
here, and you will also be excepted to provide us with information on
investment opportunities in your country. We do not wish to contact any of
my late father's business comrades/partner because we do not know who
exactly caused his death.
I and my family reason of contacting you is for your co-operation for you to
assist the family in the removing of the fund out of the security company in
your favour and ours as well. Moreover, to help us use the fund carefully
for investment. All the necessary document are at my reach. With confidence
in you as a trust-worthy person to act in good faith! I will introduce you
to an attorney as my father's foreign partner who will assist you with legal
proceedings.Since your particulars will appear on every vital document as
the owner of the fund this transaction will attract 30% for the assist you
are rendering.I look forward to your reply.


Best regards,
Billy Bangura.
[For the Family]

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