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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: "Information Resources" (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2011 09:16:01 -0000
Subject: Re: Ghana Revenue Authority

Ghana Revenue Authority
Under (Customs Division)
6th Floor, Heritage Tower
6th Avenue, West Ridge. Ghana
Email: rpecoffice1@officer.com

________________________________________


Dear Beneficiary,

First and foremost, let me start by introducing myself; I am Mr. Robert Yaw Kofi, Assistant Commissioner, Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division) I write to intimate you as follows:

Following the ongoing review of your funds transfer schedule for your payment amount from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust reports, we did received an application yesterday morning from one of the directors in your company requesting for a change in the beneficiary contact information and designated bank account and that is the reason why I mailed you today.

However, what strikes our attention most is the sudden change of your mode of transfer of your funds at this last moment after the approval and endorsement for the release of your fund (US$ 450,500.00) through the approved paying bank (Barclays Bank (Gh) Ltd) as certified by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust. Could you please confirm immediately to this office by email, your relationship with Isobel Mackay with 2 others, who claim to be your partners, if he is a director in your company; and that this LLoyds Bank, London, UK, Account Number: 1015444, Bank's Swift Code- LOYDGB22, Please correct is your new designated bank account for the transfer of your payment currently in the process of transfer to your bank account.

It has become very necessary to verify directly from you, the original benefactor / beneficiary (the lotteries, draws, compensation schemes grants, inheritances, payment agent or mystery shopper jobs and business proposals offering huge sums of money), if you authorized such a last minute change in the beneficiary details before granting such request for remittance. In-order to stop the internet fraudulent activities going on in the African banking system today, the following agencies (ICPO-Interpol, Euro-pol,FBI and Social Security and National Insurance) has taking a measures to see that Fraud activities going on in the banking system in Africa including fraudulent acts in the world Today are stopped and there is progress.

We regret any delay to your funds transfer and the inconveniences this must has cost you in the past and also sympathize with you on this present situation.

Please Kindly get in touch with us directly by phone or email so that we can resolve this claims and give instructions to the releasing bank to effect remittance as scheduled to avoid wrong transfers, we are now fully in charge of the fund after the panel report on what you have been passing through from the hands of some financial institution. Please be sure to make reference to your full Name, Age, Sex, Nationality, Direct Phone Number, Residential Address, Occupation and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Acknowledge receipt of this message today.

Yours sincerely,
Mr. Robert Yaw Kofi, Assistant Commissioner
Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division)
Email: rkofi@rediffmail.com / rpecoffice1@officer.com

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