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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: "Mike Adam" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mikeadam01@voila.fr>
Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2012 11:10:14 -0000
Subject: RE; URGENT 7TH AUG 2012.

MY NAME IS MR MIKE ADAM AN ACCOUNTANT WITH A PRIME BANK IN ABIDJAN, COTED'IVOIRE. I AM WRITTING TO SOLICIT FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AS MY PARTNER TO TRANSFER INTO ANY ACCOUNT OVERSEAS THE SUM OF USD$8.7MILLION.

WE HAVE AN ACCOUNT THAT WAS ORIGINALLY OPENED HERE IN MY BANK IN THE YEAR 2004 BY OUR CUSTOMER, SHE DIED IN THE YEAR 2008 AND SINCE HER DEATH, THE ACCOUNT HAS REMAINED NON - OPERATIONAL. A FOREIGNER AND THE MANAGER OF PETRO-TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES, A CHEMICAL ENGINEER BY PROFESSION. THE ACCOUNT HAS NO NEXT OF KIN IN CASE OF DEATH AND MY INVESTIGATION PROVED THAT HER COMPANY DOES NOT HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ACCOUNT; HENCE TILL DATE NOBODY FROM THE COMPANY OR ELSEWHERE HAS COME TO CLAIM THE MONEY.

I THEREFORE, DECIDED TO FRONT YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN, SO THAT THE FUND CAN BE TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT. I AM CONTACTING YOU BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO INVOLVE A FOREIGNER, WITH A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHO WILL CLAIM THE MONEY AS THE BENEFICIARY HOPING THAT YOU WILL NOT BETRAY MY TRUST ON YOU.

BE REST ASSURED THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY RISK TO RUN IN THIS TRANSACTION AS I WILL USE MY POSITION AND INFLUENCE TO PROCURE LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND GET APPROVALS FOR THE TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. I WILL NEED YOUR CO-OPERATION TO MAKE THIS WORK BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT IS READY TO APPROVE THIS PAYMENT TO ANY FOREIGNER WHO HAS CORRECT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT WHICH I WILL GIVE TO YOU IMMEDIATELY YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST TO HANDLE SUCH AMOUNT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND TRUST.

IF YOU ARE TRULY CAPABLE OF HANDLING THIS TRANSACTION, REACH ME IMMEDIATELY.

YOUR FAITHFULLY,

MR MIKE ADAM.

Anti-fraud resources: