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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: RENE GINO <beatrice.richtdonne@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: llamkenn@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:05:51 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Wederzijdse Business Voorstel / Business Proposal


Hello
 
My names are Mr. Rene GINO,a senior security officer in-charge of foreign operations for the West African Monetary Agency(WAMA) annex in Lome,Republic of Togo . I am also head of Special Investigation Department of this regional institution, W.A.M.A.
 
I am writing you in connection with the sum of $4,862,000.00 (Four Million,Eight Hundred and Sixty-Two Thousand United States Dollars) which was deposited in my company by a deceased customer from the Mid-East Asia . The man died 7 years ago and since the discovery of his death,the management board of W.A.M.A set up a 3-Man investigation panel which fortunately I am the also the head of . The primary purpose of this panel is to investigate the deceased background check and probably hand over the funds to his immediate family .
 
So far,an extensive and wide-ranged investigation has been conducted by my team and in the course the investigation we discovered a huge complications and dubious activities around the deceased background,we also discovered that the deceased had his hands in money laundering and drug activities . In summary to the further findings it revealed that the said funds is a product of dubious activities which is not acceptable in this country,the international law also have it that the funds be confiscated by the government of the given country and be remitted back to the country of origin .
 
However,we have not submitted our report officially to the Management,we are keeping the report confidential  . My team want to keep the funds for our personal usage instead of allowing it to be confiscated or be remitted to the country of origin .
 
In that case,we want you to stand in as a next of kin to the deceased . We want you to present yourself as business colleague to our deceased customer . All you shall do is come forward for the claim of those funds and I, as the head of the investigation panel shall endorse you as a legitimate beneficiary of the funds . I shall file an official report to the management,the report will present you as the legitimate beneficiary of the said funds . Our general in this deal is 100% mutual,that is, 50% of the total funds shall go to you while the other 50% shall be for my team .
 
If you are interested in this proposal,do not hesitate to respond to us and I shall give you a form which you shall fill and submit to the W.A.M.A  Management Board for approval,and as I would advice you . Please keep this letter confidential . Thank you as I awaits your response .
 
Yours sincerely,
Mr. GINO




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