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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: Punitha Bhuvanadas <augustinmara@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 19:07:36 +0100 (BST)
Subject: From Hospital




Hello,
Greeting in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
My name is Ms. Punitha Bhuvanadas from Malaysia; I am writing from hospital in Cote d’Ivoire, therefore this mail is very urgent.

I was told by my doctor that I was poisoned and has got my liver damaged and can only live for some months due to the damage the poison has done to my liver and lungs, therefore, I will be having operation next week in Malaysia,

I have a donation which I will need your assistance to carry it out for me in your country, I am a servant of the Lord in Ivory Coast, I inherited some money ($3.7 Million) from my late father who worked as a contractor in Bouake; I cannot think of anybody trying to kill me apart from my step mother in order to inherit this money for her selfish interest.

I want you to contact my house helper with this information below:
Name: Yacouba Benoit Traore.
Address: 16 Rue de Agouti, Marcory 01
Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire.
Email: byatraore@ymail.com

He will give you the documents of the money and will direct you to a lawyer that I have appointed for this matter; the lawyer will assist you to change the documents of the money to your name in order for the bank transfer the money to you.

This is the favor I need when you have gotten the money:-

(1) Give 10% of the money to my servant, Yacouba Benoit Traore as he is there for me through my illness and I have promised to support him in life. I want you to take him along with you to your country and establish him as my son.
(2) Give 60% of the money to Charity Organizations and Churches on my name so that my soul may rest in peace and the rest 30% should be for your efforts and assistance.

Note:
This should be a code between you and Yacouba Benoit Traore in this transaction "Hospital" any mail from him, the barrister he will direct you to, without this code "Hospital" is not from the barrister, Yacouba Benoit Traore, or myself as I don't know what will happen to me in the next few hours.

(3) Request the lawyer's international passport he is from Kenya but based in Cote d’Ivoire and let Yacouba Benoit Traore send his National ID as he don’t have passport to be sure of whom you are dealing with. Yacouba Benoit Traore is so little therefore guide him; he has copies of my international passport and ID which he will also send to you, for you to be sure he is the one because nobody have copies of my personal documents.

May God bless you and use you to accomplish my wish.
Pray for me always.
Ms. Punitha Bhuvanadas
Thank you Holy Father

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