joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: Maitre Leopold Olory Togbe <owokarikajunior@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: leopold_ot@hotmail.fr
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:33:28 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: To Liefs Helena.



From Barrister Leopold Olory-Togbe, Esq.
Attorney at Law, Int’l Consultants.
01 B.P. 2202 Cotonou - Republic of Bénin.
Telephone Number +229 97532572.
 
 
Dear Friend,

 
I am Barrister Leopold Olory-Togbe Esq., the attorney to Late Mr. Andreas Liefs, a national of your country, who worked as the Director of Societe Nationale de Commercialisation des Produits Petroliers  (SONACOP) Oil Company here in Cotonou - Republic of Bénin, West Africa; herein shall be Referred to as my client.
 
On the 14th of May 2004, my client, His wife and their 2 Children were involved in a car accident Along Sagbama express-road. My late client and his family unfortunately lost their lives in that accident. Since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to locate any extended relatives of my clients , but  this have proved unsuccessful.
 
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track His last name over the Internet to locate any member of his Family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in Repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unclaimed and unserviceable by the bank here. These funds US$10.5 Million Dollars (Ten Milion Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) only are  deposited with the "Societe Generale Des Banques Au Benin”,  This Bank is an An affiliate of Commercial Bank of Africa here in Cotonou - Republic of Benin.  The Bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or anybody that is related to my late client before his funds will be siezed and transferred into the Government Treasury Account as unclaimed funds.
 
Four the fact, that I have been unsuccessful in Locating any relatives of my late client for over 3years now; I seek your consent to present you as a relative to my late client since you have the same last name with him, so that his the US$10.5 Million Dollars (Ten Milion Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) can be paid to you after which the money will be  shared between you and I 50/50. I will procure all Necessary legal documents that can be used to back up this claim. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us get these funds from the bank here. I guarantee that this will be executed under a Legitimate Arrangement, that will protect you from any Breach of the law.  
 
Your urgent response will be highly appreciated. 
 
 
Best Regards,

Barrister  Leopold Olory-Togbe, Esq.
Telephone Number +229 97532572.



Anti-fraud resources: