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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: Foreign Transfer Manager <eco_bank_manager@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:04:48 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Pending Transfer of your $50 Million USD


 Ecobank, The Pan African Bank 
Plot No. 1A, High Street,
Dansoman Estate, Accra
Ghana .
 
 
Working Hours Mon-Fri, 8am - 4pm 
Saturday, 9am - 2pm 
Sunday, Closed 
 
 
Dear Beneficiary
 
I am Mr. Wilson Kofi, the new Foreign Transfer Manager in the Ecobank Branch Office as written above.
 
My aim of sending you this mail is to bring to your notification about Fifty Million US Dollars (US$50.000.000.00). These funds were deposited into our Bank by the late Minister of Finance here in Ghana (Hon. Kwadwo Wiredu Baah) and your name was made the Beneficiary to the funds.
 
The said funds were deposited in our Bank Escrow Vault and ever since the death of the Minister of Finance, we have been waiting to hear from you (The Destined Beneficiary), on how the funds will be handled, yet no response. Not until this date I was been appointed to handle the foreign transfer department, I came across the files of this pending $50 Million which no one have given us notice on how we should proceed about it. Henceforth, I have to contact you in order to know when you preferred to receive the $50 Million USD upon fulfilling the essential requirements because our Bank will soon be doing annual auditing.
 
The $50 Million can be transferred to you through various means which you prefer below.
 
1. Bank to Bank Transfer
2. Crediting into ATM CARD for delivery by any courier service
3. Placing the funds into a Secured Trunk Box for Airway delivery through the means of our certified reliable Bank Envoy.
 
Upon you acknowledge the receipt of this mail; we shall inform you what is needed in order to enable you receive the funds within 3 Bank working days. Bear it in mind that the funds are legally bonded and documented, thus, charges will not be deducted from the principal deposited funds, rather the Beneficiary is liable to pay for it.
 
We are waiting your response.
 
Yours in service
Mr. Wilson Kofi
Ecobank Foreign Transfer Manager
 
 
ONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:
 
This email and other documents, files or other attachments may contain confidential information. Any unauthorized use of any of the information contained herein or attached hereto is strictly prohibited.If you received this email in error, please notify the sender by return email
 
 
 



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