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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: Lewis Amadou <lewis.amadou19@info2link.biz>
Reply-To: lewis.amadou19@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:25:05 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Please treat with confidence

FROM LEWIS AMADOU,
ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE.

MY DEAR,

PERMIT ME TO INFORM YOU OF MY DESIRE OF GOING INTO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. I GOT YOUR NAME AND CONTACT FROM THE IVOIRIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. I PRAYED OVER IT AND SELECTED YOUR NAME AMONG OTHER NAMES DUE TO IT'S ESTEEMING NATURE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS I READ ABOUT YOU AS A REPUTABLE AND TRUSWORTHY PERSON I CAN DO BUSINESS WITH AND BY THE RECOMMENDATIONS I MUST NOT HESITATE TO CONFIDE IN YOU FOR THIS SIMPLE AND SINCERE BUSINESS.

I AM MR LEWIS AMADOU, THE ONLY CHILD OF LATE MR AND MRS. GEOFREY AMADOU, MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY GOLD AND DIAMOND MERCHANT BASED IN ABIDJAN, THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF (IVORY COAST) COTE D'IVOIRE BEFORE HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR OUTING TO DISCUSS ON A BUSINESS. BEFORE HIS DEATH MY MOTHER DIED EARLIER, AND WHEN MY MOTHER DIED, MY FATHER TOOK ME SO SPECIAL BECAUSE I AM MOTHERLESS.

BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN ABIDJAN, COTE D'IVOIRE. HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF US$26,500,000.00 (TWENTY SIX MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND, UNITED STATES DOLLARS) IN ONE OF THE PRIME BANKS HERE IN ABIDJAN, COTE D'IVOIRE AND THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS ONLY SON FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSIT O=
F THE FUND. HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES. THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER IN ANY COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS MONEY AND USE IT TO START A NEW LIFE WHERE HIS ASSOCIATES WILL NOT SEE ME TO HARM ME..

IT IS BASED ON THIS THAT I CONTACTED YOU AND I AM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
1)TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERED.
2)TO SERVE AS MY GUARDIAN AND OF THIS MONEY SINCE I AM STILL A YOUNG BOY.
3)TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY AFTER THE MONEY HAS BEEN TRANSFERED.

MOREOVER, I AM WILLING TO GIVE YOU 15% OF THE TOTAL MONEY AS YOUR COMPENSATION FOR ASSISTING ME AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND INTO YOUR NORMINATED BANK ACCOUNT AND ANOTHER 5% FOR ANY EXPENCES UNTIL THE MONEY IS TRANSFERED INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.

PLEASE INDICATE YOUR INTEREST TOWARDS ASSISTING ME IN YOUR REPLY MAIL AND I ASSURE YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SEVEN (7) DAYS YOU SIGNIFY INTEREST TO ASSIST ME. ANTICAIPTING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST THROUGH THIS MY PRIVATE MAIL BOX (lewis.amadou19@gmail.com).

THANKS AND BEST REGARDS.

YOURS SINCERELY,
LEWIS AMADOU.

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