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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: tgippert@cary26.k12.il.us
Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 09:55:36 -0300
Subject: I need your assistance for investment (27636987)

Dear Friend,
 
Before I tell you about myself I want you to please forgive me for sending this mail without your permission.
 
I just gone through your profile on data4marketers/http://kdid business directory, then i decide to contact you for investment and establishment in your country with your assistance.
 
My name is Mr Patrick Anto, The Bank Manager of a Financial Institution. I am a Ghanaian married with 3 kids, I am writing to solicit your assistance in the transfer of US$7,500,000.00 Dollars into your account. their is an excess funds i discovered in my branch as profit last year, this subject funds was discovered after i have already submitted an annual report for that last year 2012 financial year to my head office in Accra-Ghana, ever since then i have watched with keen interest as my bank will never know of this excess, so i have since placed this amount of $7,500,000.00 US Dollars on an Escrow Coded account without a beneficiary (Anonymous) to avoid trace.
 
Understand that as an officer of the bank, I cannot be directly connected to this money which make me to request for your partnership assistance to receive this money into your bank account as a foreign partner, so that after the funds transfer i will resign my appointment with my bank and come over to your country, also with your assistance i will establish and invest the funds in your country.I want to assure you that their is no risk involved in this. It's going to be a bank-to- bank transfer.
 
All I need from you is to stand as the original depositor of the funds so that i will use your details information's to replace the funds file, then the funds can be transferred to your account, I agree that 40% of this money will be for you personally for your assistance as a foreign parner and 60% would be for my investment capital in your country, while 5% of the total funds shall be set aside for any expenses that may arise during the funds transfer to your account.
 
Please keep this matter as top secret between 2 of us, on your positive response i will send you an elaborate email details on how to proceed and effect the funds to your account, Kindly contact me back on this ID ( patrickaaantoy@hotmail.com ) for a brief discussion on how to proceed, waiting to read from you as soon as you read this mail.
 
Regards Patrick

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