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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: Miss Alice Kouame <off_mem@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: alicekangajp@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Mon, 23 May 2011 18:18:11 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Urgent Message from Miss Alice Kouame..







Urgent Message from Miss Alice Kouame..
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
West Africa. 
 
      Greetings!  I am contacting you today based on the little information I gathered about your country through an international chambers of commerce with your e-mail address.
 
     My name is Miss Alice Kouame, I am the only daughter of my late parents Mr. and Mrs. Francis Kouame. My father was a highly reputable business magnate-(a cocoa merchant) who operated in the capital of Ivory coast during his days. It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in France during one of his business trips abroad on 19th September 2010. Though his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been masterminded by an uncle of his who travelled with him at that time. But God knows the truth!
 
     My mother died when I was just 2 years old, and since then my father took me so special and promised not to remarry to another woman. Before his death on 19th September 2010 he called his secretary who accompanied him to the hospital and told her that he had a sum of (US$8.5 Million) (Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) deposited in a fixe suspense account with one of the prime banks here in Abidjan City, Ivory Coast.
 
    He also explain to his secretary that the funds was meant for an investment purpose in oversea before he met his untimely death meanwhile as his only daughter, he use my name as the next of kin to deposit the funds. Further he told his secretary to inform me that whenever I am ready to go and claim the funds at the bank where it was deposited that I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where I will transfer the money to and use it for investment in any of the below area.
 
1) Telecommunication
2) The Transport Industry
3) Hotel Management
4) Real Estate Management.
 
     Now I am seeking your urgent assistance in clearing this fund into your bank account overseas as a new beneficiary of the fund, and also use it for an investment in one of the suggestion area I mention above.
 
     I am a young girl and beside I don't know anything about business world. More so I am high school leaving certificate holder and really don't know what to do. Now I want an account overseas where I can transfer this fund to. This is because I have suffered a lot of setbacks as a result of incessant political crisis here in Ivory Coast. The death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life a lot.
 
Now permit me to ask these few questions:-
 
1. Can you honestly help me since I’m from a black race?
2. Can I completely trust you?
3. What percentage of the total amount in question will be good for you
after the money is in your account?
 
    Please if you are interested and willingly to help me in this transaction, then you should kindly get back to me in time and signify your interest, upon I hear your positive response then I will meet the bank here for the procedures.
 
Looking forward to hearing back from you. Thanks
Best Regards,
 
Miss Alice Kouame.

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