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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: "DAVID WATARA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <davidwatara20072008@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:26:06 +0100
Subject: Agricultural Development Bank (ADB)

Account Officer (Small Scale Loans)
Agricultural Development Bank (ADB)
Accra Ghana .

Sir,

Agricultural development Bank is a bank which the World Bank has established to fund Agricultural developments in Africa. In Ghana this Bank has been helping African Peasant farmers with small scale loans for domestic agricultural productions.
In this Branch, as I was just appointed the account officer. I just discovered that a lot of local farmers have applied for small loans

$150, 000,$200,000,$250,000,$500,000,$750,000 etc .The loans has been approved but most of the farmers are dead and could not come for the claims .Leading to the bank to allow the loans to float in its domestic account for NO CLAIMS.

The bank has therefore directed the acceptable next of kin of these people to come for the claims .On my table are some foreign small scale businessmen who applied for the loans, because of the long period needed to process the loans due to logistics, the foreigners are no more living in Ghana, So I want to use your name and assistance to claim this small fund so we can share it 50 50.I can get a legal document to show you are the next of kin by sworn affidavit from the high court.

In this case, the customer is a South Korean. My investigation shows she has left Ghana since last year. She has put in his form a next of kin who lives in your country. So I want you to assist in claiming this little fund which has been floating in her name. I WILL PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTS TO YOU IF YOU ARE READY TO ASSIST. The amount is $200,000(Two Hundred thousand US dollars).

If you want us to claim this small money which we can do in 7 days, confirm to me so that I tell you what to do immediately.

Thanks,
David Watara



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