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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Elinah Ibrahim" <office@theysohn.at>
Reply-To: "Elinah Ibrahim" <elinahibrahim01@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2023 12:09:03 -0700
Subject: Please I need your help


Hello My Dearest, Please i need your help Please permit me to introduce=
myself, i am Miss Elinah Ibrahim Coulibaly 25 years old female from the Re=
public of Ivory Coast, West Africa, I'm the Daughter of Late Chief Sgt. Ibr=
ahim Coulibaly (a.k.a General IB ). My late Father was a well known Ivory C=
oast military leader. He died on Thursday 28 April 2011 following a fight w=
ith the Republican Forces of Ivory Coast (FRCI). I am constrained to cont=
act you because of the maltreatment which i am receiving from my step mothe=
r. She planned to take away all my late father's treasury and properties fr=
om me since the unexpected death of my beloved Father because my mother die=
d during child bearing and i was left alone with my step mother to take car=
e of me. Meanwhile i wanted to travel to Europe, but she hide away my trave=
ling documents. Luckily she did not discover where i kept my father's File =
which contained important documents like the will and deposit certificate o=
f my Father's fund which bears my name as the next of kin to inherit the mo=
ney in his bank account. Now I am presently staying in the Refugee Mission =
Camp in Burkina Faso. I am seeking for long term relationship and investmen=
t assistance. My father of blessed memory deposited the sum of US$ 11.5 Mil=
lion in Bank Of Africa here in Burkina Faso with my name as the next of kin=
. I have contacted the Bank to clear the deposit but the Branch Manager t=
old me that my late father place an instruction on the deposited fund that =
i must present a foreign trustee who will help me for investment of the fun=
d. Therefore, i decide to seek for your help in transferring the money in=
to your bank account while i will relocate to your country and settle down =
with you. As you indicate your interest to help me, i will give you the acc=
ount number and the contact of the bank where my late beloved father deposi=
ted the money with my name as the next of kin. It is my intention to compen=
sate you with 30% out of the total money after the transfer for your assist=
ance and the balance shall be my investment in any profitable venture which=
you will recommend to me as i have no idea about foreign investment. =
Thanks in anticipation of your positive response. Yours sincerely Miss El=
inah Ibrahim Coulibaly

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