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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: Steve Benson <s41725@live.fr>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2015 07:36:44 +0000
Subject: RE: TRANSFER OF US$10.500.000 00 MILLION TO YOUR ACCOUNT.


AUDITOR GENERAL

MR STEVE BENSON



DEAR,



RE: TRANSFER OF US$10.500.000 00 MILLION TO YOUR
ACCOUNT.



I feel quite safe dealing with you in this
important business. Though this

medium (Internet) has been greatly abused, I
choose to reach you through it

because it still remains the fastest medium of
communication. However, this

correspondence is private, and it should be
treated in strict confidence.





At first I will like to assure you that this
transaction is 100% risk and

trouble free to both parties, In order to
transfer out TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED

THOUSAND DOLLARS, (US$10.500 000 00) from our
bank here in Cote D Ivoire .





The fund for transfer is of clean origin. The
owner of the fund is a foreigner,

a program leader who was believed to acquire the
fund through his secret Crude

Oil deal with the Former IRAQ government. The
deceased died with all the members

of his family in an auto-accident in June 23,
2006 without a WILL. The amount

involved is US$10,500,000.00





I want to transfer this money into your account
as the foreign beneficiary of

the fund. I know that this letter will come to
you as a surprise as we don't

know ourselves before, BUT BE SURE THAT IT IS
REAL AND A GENUINE BUSINESS. I

CONTACT YOU BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL NOT LET ME
DOWN ONCE THE FUND GOES

INTO YOUR ACCOUNT,





THANKS

MR STEVE BENSON

Anti-fraud resources: