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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: "ECOS SECURITY & VAULT COMPANY" (may be fake)
Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2010 05:03:14 -0700
Subject: Please Confirm to us ASAP...

Goodday

This is to informed you that Government has approved that your inheritance payment should be released to you unconditionally upon satisfactory and standard setting on foreign payment rules and regulation in accordance with the Government of Ghana foreign payment policy.


Though your Contract/inheritance payment has not been released to you for quite some time due to your inability to satisfy the transfer obligation ,Meanwhile, One Mr.Helmut Schimanski of Koelner Str 116 53840 Troisdorf Germany submitted a report in regards to your approved payment ,he claimed to be your representative and he further indicated that you have request as a matter of urgency for a change in your account where you want this approved funds transferred to. He gave us this address where we will deliver the fund to;

Mr.Helmut Schimanski
Koelner Str 116 53840 Troisdorf
Germany

SO HERE COMES THE BIG QUESTION.

Did you sign any deed of assignment in favor of (Mr. Helmut Schimanski) thereby making him the current beneficiary of this $12,000,000.00?

Please if you did not sign nor authorize Mr. Helmut Schimanski to receive the fund on your behalf,kindly confirm to us immediately to avoid making wrong delivery and in view of this development,you are requested to reconfirm to us your full details.

Waiting to hear from you as soon as you read this mail.

Thanks


ECOS SECURITY & VAULT COMPANY
+233 27 772 3741

Anti-fraud resources: