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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: Stephie Atta <stephie_atta@voila.fr>
Reply-To: stephieattaede@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2010 14:53:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Hello


Hello Dear,
 
Please permit me to inform you my interest of going into business relationship with you. I know this mail may come to you as a surprise, since we have not known or written before but I pray that by almighty God grace you will help me. My name is Ms Stephie Atta, i am 22 years old and daughter of late Sir Atta Mamadou. My father was a gold and cocoa merchant based in Ivory Coast, he was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their out going business trips recently in China. I lost my mother when I was 4 years old.
 
Before his death, he called me on his bedside and told me that he has the sum of $6.500,000 (Usd) deposited in one of the prime bank here in Abidjan Cote d Ivoire, that he used my name for the next of kin in depositing of the fund. And I want to let you know that the business is risk free because I have all the necessary documents that will cover the fund which my later father gave to me before he died. The total fund is Six Million Five Hundred United States Dollars. The money is still in the bank and l has the entire necessary document to back up the transaction for security purposes. And I have the intention of investing this sum with your care once you accept to help me and be sincere to me.
 
Please I need your assistance in the following ways:
 
1. To help me get this money out of the Bank and invest it in your country.
2. To help me to come over to your country to continue with my education.
3. To stand as my guardian and business partner until I am out of school to handle any investment.
 
If you can help me with these three things, I am promising you 15% of the total money as soon as you receive the money in any account of your choice. Your suggestions and ideas will be highly valued.
 
I am waiting to hear from you for more details
Kindness Regards,
Yours truly,
Stephie Atta 

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