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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: "Keith Matthews." <gerryvm@bellsouth.net>
Reply-To: keithmatthews.02@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:08:09 -0800 (PST)
Subject: ACKNOWLEDGE THIS MAIL,




My Dear Friend,
 
My name is Mr. Keith Matthews.  I am the regional manager of Standard
Chartered Bank of Ghana Tarkwa branch in the western region of Ghana .
 I
came to know you in my Private Search for a reliable, and reputable
person to handle this confidential transaction. I write you this
proposal in good faith. I have packaged a financial transaction that
will benefit you and me, as the regional manager of the Standard
Chartered Bank,  it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head
office in the capital city Accra at the end of each business year. On
the course of 2009 business report, I discovered that my branch in which
I am the manager made Eight million eight hundred and fifty thousand
united state dollars ($8,850,000.00)which my head office is not aware of
and will never be aware of. I have placed this funds on what we call
escrow call account with no beneficiary. As an officer of this bank I
cannot be directly connected to this money, so my aim of contacting you
is to assist me !receive this money in your bank account.
 
(1)Full Names/Address
 
(2)Contact Telephone number
 
(3)Scanned Copy Of Photo Page Of Either Your Driving License Or
International passport
 
 
will appreciate it very much, If this proposal is acceptable by you, do
not take undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed on you, and I
assure you we can achieve it successfully. Thank you in advance and May
God bless you and your family.
 
Thanks
 
Keith Matthews.
EMAIL:keithmatthews.02@hotmail.com




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