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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: OSE <berjardlansanaconte@gishpuppy.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 08:23:12 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Business Letter


Dear,
 
I got your contact in my searching of a good investor / foreign partner to assist me in my late father funds with a bank in Ghana.  My late father was former state minister of Guinea and executive member parliament.
 
Before his death he disclosed to me that he deposited US$18.2 Million in a Bank at Accra, Ghana, in a neighboring country in Africa, after all, I have called the bank l and it was confirmed that the funds are in there bank escrow account intact but right now am disable because of the crises in my country and at this moment I am in seeking political asylum under United Nation assistant Ghana.
 
I decide to solicit for your kind assistance to help me and my Eleven year old brother to invest these funds on our behalf the sum of US$18.2 Million out of Africa for us in your Business Venture for a long term and pay us monthly on agreeable terms to be worked out later.
 
Our lives and future of my only brother depends on these funds and as such, I will be grateful if you can assist us. I am seeking your assistance to invest this fund out of Africa for investment purpose.
 
If possible, I want you to come on board to help clear this money from the present escrow account to your overseas account, open an account on your name, and transfer the funds to your designated account in your country because I want to empower you for this transaction so that you have full legal power to negotiate this transaction as my guidance and legal representative.
 
Why I also want you is that my father specifically put it in his will and advice me and my brother that we must consult a foreign partner to assist us to move these funds out of Africa, I think it was to save as a check on our part, so that we would not lose the money, as this is the only money left for the success of me and my brother.
 
What I demanded from you is to assure me the safety of this money when it finally gets to you. Further information and arrangement will commence as soon as trust, confidence and good relationship is established. I shall be most grateful if you could maintain this high level of confidentiality I repose on you concerning this matter.
 
My health is not in good shape now, because am disable and I need your help as quick as you can. Please response as soon as possible so that I can you the copy of the deposit slip and you can get in touch with the Bank for further inquiry on how to proceed on my behalf.
 
Thanks for your personal consideration. Waiting for your respond at my private email address: berjardlansanaconte@gishpuppy.com or you call me on this number +233 24 1812355
 
Yours Sincerely,
Berjard Lansana Conte

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