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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: Elline Kojoh <ubabankghna01@gmail.com>
Reply-To: elline.kojoh@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2015 17:58:35 +0100
Subject: Inquiry

Dear Sir/Madam

How are you today?

May I introduce myself and this business opportunity to you. My name is Ms.
Elline Kojoh, am an accountant in one of the banks in Ghana. I got your
contact from (US Chamber of commerce directory) I will need your assistance
in this business transaction. I would want you to stand as the Next of Kin
to a deceased customer of our banking institution, Mr Zanger Khan, who died
in an auto crash in 2007 with his family.

He was a wealthy oil consultant who deposited the sum of seven million, six
hundred thousand United states dollar (US$7.600.000.00) in a fixed deposit
account in our bank. He died without any registered next of kin and as such
the funds now have an open beneficiary mandate.

The banking rules and regulation here does not allow such money to stay
more than eight years, because the money will be recalled to the bank
treasury as unclaimed bill after this period. On your confirmation of this
message and indicating your interest, I will give you more details. As soon
the fund is transferred in your bank account we will share the money, 50%
for you and 50% for me. Kindly get back to me for us to proceed.

Regards,
Ms. Elline Kojoh

Anti-fraud resources: