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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: "Dr. Kope Ajo," (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kofibentum2014@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 01:53:00 -0800
Subject: Urgent Attention Please

From the desk of: Dr. Kope Ajo,
The West Africa Monetary Intelligent Unit, Accra-Ghana.
Attention: Beneficiary,
I am Dr. Kope Ajo The West Africa Monetary Intelligent Unit, Ghana, I am directed to contact you in order to urgently confirm from you if actually you know one Mrs Luis Harrison who claim to be your business associate/partner here in Ghana. The said Mrs Luis Harrison confirmed to us that you are Dead and she will like to change all the Information that you gave to us as our bonafide beneficiary. This development is coming now that the Intelligent Unit, Ghana want to offset all outstanding payments to all our legal foreign beneficiaries around the world as your payment file was affected.
Here is the banking information she provided and instructed us to wire the fund into: Names: Mrs Luis Harrison, Bank Name: City Bank of California. Account Number: 089764249011. Please do confirm to this office as a matter of urgency if this woman is from you so that this office will not be held responsible for wrongful payment or unlawful diversion of your overdue fund into a wrong account.
It will interest you to know that the total amount in your favor is of $7.5 Million Dollars. We need to confirm from you if you are Dead or Alive. Bear in mind that If we do not hear from you within 72 hours,it automatically means that you are dead and the information passed to us by Mrs Luis Harrison is correct. You are to contact us through our official email address as soon as you receive this message so as to know the true position of things in order to avoid any mistake in remitting your out-standing payment to a wrong person/account.
If she is not your representative or sent by you, then you are advise to update this office immediately by reconfirming to us the following details for us to cross check and process your payment immediately to you.
1. Full Names:....................................
2. Resident Contact Address:.............................
3. Direct Telephone Number or Cell Number:..........................
4. Copy of your Identity if possible:...........................
Finally send an urgent reply to enable us educate you further on the next step to take.
Best Regards.
Dr. Kope Ajo,
West Africa Monetary Intelligent Unit, Ghana
Tel:+233242441286

Anti-fraud resources: