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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: "Lt.Gen Edward McHugh" <Nanadwomohbonsu.gtb@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 08:17:16 +0000
Subject: GET BACK TO ME

Hello,

Compliments of the day, How are you and the entire family ?

Please excuse my intrusion into your privacy without your prior permission
,I am contacting you base on Optimism, trust and confidentiality. I hope my
message will not cause you much embarrassment as I write to you in good
faith. My name is Mr Nana Dwomoh Bonsu; I am a branch manager at Guaranty
Trust Bank Ghana Limited(GTB). I am 48 years of age and married with 3
lovely kids. It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and
INTEGRITY; I only hope we can assist each other for mutual benefits, I have
packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and I.

As a branch manager of Guaranty Trust Bank Ghana Limited(GTB), it is my
duty to send financial report to the head office at the end of each annual
general financial report,however, on the course of mid-year 2013 first
quarter annual general meeting, I discovered that my branch which I am the
manager made an excess profit that has never been recorded in the bank
since origin,so i managed to deduct the sum of Two Million and Eight
Hundred Thousand united States Dollars [USD$2,800,000.00] which my head
office are not aware of and will never be aware of. I have since placed the
funds in what we called "Escrow Suspense Account" with no beneficiary; As
an officer of this bank, I cannot be directly connected to this money, this
is why I am contacting you to assist me stand claim and receive this money
in your account, and you will get 40% of the total funds as your commission.

There is practically no risk involved in this transaction, This transaction
is just like some one who banks in a particular bank and at a point in time
he/she wish to close his account and transfer funds to a different bank. It
will be bank-to-bank transfer, all I need from you is to stand claim as the
right beneficiary of the funds, who made the deposit in my branch so that
my head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account,
since all international transfers are carried out from the head office.
Upon your acceptance of this proposal and your cooperation, i will furnish
you with all the details.

I assure you we can achieve it successfully if you can follow my
instruction and direction,kindly send me your reply of consent to my
private email address:Nanadwomohbonsu.gtb@gmail.com for full details.

Best regards,
Nana Dwomoh Bonsu.

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