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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: "Douglas Adams Mensah" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <douglasadamsmensah@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2016 17:27:53 +0200
Subject: Inguries Beneficiary

FROM THE DESK OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL OF POLICE (I.G.P)
GHANA POLICE FORCE
OSU HEAD QUARTER
ACCRA GHANA
FINANCIAL CRIME FIGHTERS

Attention:

My name is inspector Douglas Adams Mensah we have four suspects by name, Mr. Henshaw Kobina, Barrister Peter Mensah, Mr. Jamal Abdel Rahman Haimoor of Jordan and Mr. Kofi Kolebu. The 4 suspect are currently in our police custody for conspiracy and fraudulent activities.They where suspected to have arranged with Mr. Jamal Abdel Rahman Haimoor of Jordan to sign off your funds/consignment from it custody with a death certificate claiming that you are dead, and that before your death you named Mr. Jamal Abdel Rahman Haimoor of Jordan as your next of kin and business partner which your lawyer singed saying that you authorized him to pay the charges needed by the government and withdraw the total amount if it happens that you did not make it at the hospital. We discovered some fake documents from them that stated the release of the funds/consignment which was the reason why we get them arrested to first of all follow the due process.

Are you still alive or dead? If yes, you have to get back to this office immediately, and if we do not hear from you within the next 48 Hours as the law demands, then we are going to set them free. Find an attached copy of the suspects if you are still alive and get back to us immediately to confirm if you are the one who authorized Mr. Jamal Abdel Rahman Haimoor to come for your fund.

I am waiting to hear from you as soon as possible to enable us take our decision.

Your immediate and urgent response is needed now.

Thanks
Yours faithfully
Inspector Douglas Adams Mensah

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