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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: "office mail" <officemail18@my.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 18:53:08 +0100
Subject: Attn: Dear,


From. Mr. Grange M. Louis
Ganhi, Rue du Gouverneur Bayol
01 BP 1280 Cotonou-Benin
Private EMail :(louisgrange949@gmail.com)

Attn: Dear,

It is understandable that you might be a little bit apprehensive because you
do not know me but I have a lucrative business proposal of mutual interest
to share with you.

Please I seek your permission and would want to get myself introduce to you.
I am Mr. Grange M. Louis the M.D of ECOBANK. I have concealed business
suggestion for you.

Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client Mr. Turfik Mustapha who was an Iraqi
Business Man and also a contractor With Gullies Beggar a construction
company made a numbered fixed deposit for 18 calendar months, with a value
of One Hundred And Fifty Million United State Dollars only ($150m) in
ECOBANK. Upon maturity several notices were sent to him, even during the
war, again after the war several notifications were sent and still no
response came from him. I later found out that Mr. Turfik Mustapha and his
family had been killed during the war in a bomb blast that hit their home in
Iraq .

After further investigation it was also discovered that Mr. Turfik Mustapha
did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including the paper
work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he was at
my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank. So, One
Hundred and Fifty Million United State Dollars only ($150m) is still lying
in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it. What bothers me
most is that according to the laws of my country at the expiration three
years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Government if nobody
applies to claim the funds.

Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as a
foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Mr. Turfik Mustapha so that you
will be able to receive his funds.

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we shall
come out successful.

There is no risk involved at all in the matter as we are going adopt a
legalized method. Please endeavour to observe utmost discretion in all
matters concerning this issue. Once the funds have been transferred to your
nominated bank account we shall share in the ratio of 65% for me, 30% for
you and 5% for any expenses incurred during the course of this operation.

Should you be interested please send me your private phone and fax numbers,
you can write me via my private box and i will provide you with more details
of this operation.
Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kindly send your reply to: My Private Email: (louisgrange949@gmail.com)

Kind Regards
Mr. Grange M. Louis

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