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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: Amouha Louis <amouha@ubainfo.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 12:34:24 +0000
Subject: From Ms Amouha Louis

Good Day To You Over There

First and foremost, I want to apologize to my intrusion your privacy.

My name is Amouha Louis, the Framework Accounting Department in a Bank
in Ivory Coast. An account was opened in our bank in 2001 and since
2005, no operation is performed. This account has to date in our
books, a credit account of Twenty seven Million Seven Hundred Fifty
Thousand Euros (EURO 27,750,000). After consulting meticulously all
archives and records relating to this account, I realized I could
easily lay out the money if I succeeded in turning to an account
outside.

The owner of this account was late Mr. KEVIN MARKS, an expatriate
director (PTSS.INC) PETROL-TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES INC. Chemical
engineer, died in a plane crash accident. Nobody knows to this day the
existence of this account and this account has no other beneficiary as
well as his family in his business. I want to transfer this money in
to a safe account abroad, but I do not know anyone outside. Thus the
idea came to me to contact you and give you the proposal to transfer
this sum to your bank account. I am aware that this message will
surprise you because we did not know before, but be sure it will be an
opportunity.

I ask you to answer me as soon as possible through my private email:
amouhalouis@gmail.com

Ms. Amouha Louis

Anti-fraud resources: