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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: "Mr. John Mensah" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jmensah233a@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2015 07:50:39 -0500
Subject: REF: MONEY TRANSFER ($12.5m USD ).

International Commercial Bank Ghana.
Private Mail Bag 16, Meridian House,
Ring Road Central, Accra, Ghana
Audit section.
                                    
It is my pleasure to seek for your business assistance, and I want you to consider it very important. This is an opportunity I would want us to utilize very well. I am Mr. John Mensah, an officer in charge of Auditing and Accounting section with International Commercial Bank LTD Ghana, and also in Relationship with the Account Officer of Dr Salim Chidiac, a Lebanese.
He was a Seasoned Contractor with Ghana Cement Company in Ghana Republic, who unfortunately lost his life in a plane crash of Union Transport Africans Flight Boeing 727 in Benin republic in December 25, 2003.
Before his death on the 25th December 2003, Dr. Salim Chidiac, has a fixed deposit account with International Commercial Bank,Ghana amounting to USD$12.5m DOLLARS. After the death, I have carried out various inquiries to locate any of his client and extended relatives but this has proved unsuccessful because he died without having a next of kin named/written to his fund deposited here.
 
 
I hereby write in regards to this effect to have you stand as the rightful beneficiary (NEXT OF KIN) to Late Dr. Salim Chidiac so that the funds will be transferred into your foreign account before my Bank declares the total fund unserviceable or confiscated. Please you shall take 40% of the total funds immediately the funds reflect in your account and 60% shall be for me as the originator of this transaction.
I immensely request for your optimum honesty and co-operations. Endeavor to send your contact address,occupation and phone number for more details.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. John Mensah.
 
 
 
 
 

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