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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.Laurent Kokou" <laurent.kokou09@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 May 2016 05:55:22 -0500
Subject: Urgent Reply




My Dear Friend,

It is with trust and sincerity that I approach you for assistance to
transfer some funds into your bank account. Please do accept my apology if
my mail infringes on your personal ethics. My name is Laurent Eli Kokou,
an auditor financier based here in Lome, Togo. Honestly it will be my
humble pleasure if we can work together.

I would like you to stand as the next of kin to my deceased client who
made a deposit of $14.5 million USD only in a Bank here in Lome few years
back. He died in a plane crash with his immediate family without any
registered next of kin and as such the funds now have an open beneficiary
mandate with a Bank, This means that any person from your country can act
as the next of kin of the deceased person for claiming the inheritance
funds without any risk involved.

More so, I have received official letter from the bank suggesting a likely
proceeding for confiscation of the Fund in line with existing laws by the
bank in which my client deposited the sum of $14.5 million USD. According
to the Government Law as provided in section 129 sub 63(N), Togolaise
Banking Edit of 1986 at the expiration of 9 years the fund will revert to
the ownership of the Togolaise Government, if nobody applies to claim the
fund.

My proposition to you is to present you to the bank as the Next of kin and
beneficiary of my deceased client so that the bank will pay this $14.5
million USD to you so that we can share the amount on a mutually agreed
percentage of 60% for me 40% for you.

All legal documents to back up your claim as the deceased Next of Kin will
be provided by me. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us
see this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed
under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of
the law.

If you are interested in this transactions, Please do let me know
immediately so that I can give you comprehensive details on how to
proceed.

Regards
Laurent Eli Kokou

Anti-fraud resources: