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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: "johnnkuruma174@rediffmail.com" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 06:29:07 +0100
Subject: REQUEST FOR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP.

*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(r) Pro*
International Commercial Bank
Private Mail Bag No.16
Accra, Ghana.
Tel: +233 (24) 1554339 (Office D/L)
Fax: +233 (20) 3120017 (Office)

Dear Sir/Madam,

My Respect to you with your family. However I will like to introduce myself before explaining my proposal to you.
I am Mr. John Nkuruma, I work as An Accountant to ICB Financial Group Holdings, Accra Ghana. I am contacting you because of my experience in the Bank and
About a dormant account of $16.800, 000.00 (Sixteen Million Eight Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) only.

The Fund $16,800,000.00 United State Dollars, was deposited in International Commercial Bank Accra Ghana on 9th march 2005 by late Mr. James Rowe, an American citizen, during my auditing I found that the Fund is dormant since that 2005. I made an investigation and found out that Mr. James Rowe was working with J.E. Merit Constructors Inc as subcontractors in America, at the BP Chemical Refining plant in Texas City, Texas and unfortunately died in a terrible and unpreventable explosion in the company. I have since then, placed this amount on a suspense account without a beneficiary. I found your profile very interesting and decided to reach you directly to solicit your assistance and Guidelines in making a deal about the transfer of the Fund (16.8M USD) with me from our Bank here in Ghana to your Country. Why I Contacted you is to assist me in executing this Deal from Ghana to your Country within the Next few days to stand as a legal beneficiary to Mr. James Rowe. It's going to be a bank-to-bank transfer

I do need to stress that there are practically no risk involved in this. I need to know if you will be able to handle this with me before I explain to you more details. If you are interested please send me your full names and private phone number for an Initial confidential communication. I wish for utmost confidentiality in handling this transaction.

Awaiting your reply
Kind Regards,
Mr John Nkuruma

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