joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "Dr. James Powell" <sales@yipyy.com>
Reply-To: jpowell@hanmail.net
Date: Fri, 15 May 2015 02:31:42 +0800
Subject: I am waiting for your urgent response!!!



--
Good Day

I am Dr. James Powell, chairman of the contract-awarding & auditing
committee of the economic community of west African states (ECOWAS) with
its fund headquarters in Accra Ghana. I am making this contact with you
based on the committee need for an individual/company who is willing to
assist us with a solution to a money transfer.

This amount $23. 5M (Twenty Three Million Five hundred thousand United
States Dollars) represents the balance of the total contract value
executed on behalf of ECOWAS for supply of hospital equipments from
foreign contracting firm, which we the officials over-invoiced
deliberately, of which the actual sum has been paid. You will be
required to.

(1) Assist in the transfer of the said funds
(2) Advise on lucrative areas for investment

Should you be willing to assist us in the transaction? Your share of the
sum will be 30% of the $23.5 Million, 65% for us and 5% for taxation and
miscellaneous expenses. To enable us commence, you should provide the
followings for immediate kickoff of this deal if it interests you; your
company's names with complete address, tel. And fax numbers.

Thank you and God bless, as i wait in anticipation of your fullest
co-operation.

Yours Faithfully,

Dr. James Powell

Anti-fraud resources: