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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: Arthur Azumah <arthur.azumah@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2014 13:07:22 +0000
Subject: hello

my dear
i am sorry to come to you in this way, i came across your profile and
my spirit lead me to contact you, well i really needed some one
honest,trustfull to share my feelings and my burden with you, let me
introduce myself to you,
I am Arthur Azumah, 18 years old the only son to late Mr and
Mrs Joseph NaNa Azumah. a Native of Ghana in West Africa.
My father was very wealthy business man when he was alive and he was
killed because of his wealth by one of our family member, my mother
have die many years ago and my father take good care of me, Before the
death of my father on October 2011 in a private hospital here in Accra
- Ghana where he was admitted, he secretly called me on his bed side
and disclosed to me about the sum of Six hundred And Fifty Thousand
US dollars ($650.000) he left in suspense account in one of the bank
in Ouagadougou-Burkina Faso. and he also tell me where he keep all the
document which the bank issued him when he deposited the money, and my
name was written as next of kin, i just arrived Ouagadougou capital city of
Burkina Faso few days ago and i have approched the paying bank with
those deposited papers left for me by my late father and the bank
manager incharge of foreign customer payment unit instructed me to
present a responsible person who be able to handle and control this
amount if transfer into his or her account,since my age is not mature
enough to handle this huge amount.
so i am contacting you to stand as my foreign partner who want to
assist me transfer the money in your account in your country.Next i
hear from you i will unfold to you the bank contact and the manager
phone number so that you can open a communication with them for
immediate release and transfer of my inherited money.

Dear permit me to ask this question
(1) Can you take good care of me if the money is transfer to your account.
(2) Can you stand as the beneficial of the fund since I am 18 years old.
(3) Can you help me as your brother/Son/Friend
(4) Can you make arrangement for me to come over to your country after
the money is transfer to you, and further my education and also invest
the money there in your country under your kind control.
I have decided to offer you 30% of the total amount for your effort
and your willingness to help me, immediately i hear from you
concerning my request.I will forward to you all the necessary
documents concerning this deposit with the bank contact so that you
will contact the bank for the transfer of the money into your account
Please, Consider this and get back to me as soon as possible

Thanks and am looking forward to hear from you.

Arthur nana Azumah

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