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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: "Alidu Issah" <issah.alidu@rediffmail.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2016 04:09:54 -0800
Subject: Re: URGENT INFORMATION.

Dear friend, Please permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you. I know my message will come to you as a surprise. Don't worry I was totally convinced to write you in reference of the transfer of my inherited sum of Six Million Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$6.2M) along with 43kgs Gold Bars to you for onward investment in your country. My Name is Mr. Issah A, only survival son of my late Chief Mahama Issah, My father was a traditional ruler and highly reputable business magnet (Gold dealer, timber exportation and cocoa merchant) who operated in Ghana & Burkina Faso in West Africa, It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously. Though his sudden death was rather suspected to have been master minded by a brother of his who was fighting to became ruler after he pass away, the Almighty Allah Knows Better. My mother at the other hand, died when I was just a kid and ever since then, my father has been the only person to have participated in my life. My father deposited the fund in Security Company in Ghana and He used my name as the next of kin. Before his death, he hand over document that back the sake keeping of the consignment to me and instruct family lawyer to seek for a foreign partner in that will help me for investment of this wealth in his/her country. I have return back to Ghana now and the consignment was intact also the relevant documents regards to this deposit was in my custody through his legal adviser. If you are truly disposed to assist me in transferring of this fund to your account, I am willing to offer you percentage of your choice out of the total money for your effort made during this transaction. Information about the transferring of money to you legally follows immediately after your positive reply. Hoping to hear from you soonest. Sincerely, Mr. Issah A.

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