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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. JOHN ATTA." <johnatta@o2.pl> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 00:44:38 -0700
Subject: BUSINESS PARTNER.

FROM: MR. JOHN ATTA.
THE MANAGER INTERNATIONAL
COMMERCIAL BANK GHANA
FIRST LIGHT BRANCH ACCRA,
GHANA.

ATTN: SIR,

I GOT YOUR CONTACT DURING MY SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE,
HONEST AND A TRUST WORTHY PERSON TO ENTRUST THIS HUGE
TRANSFER PROJECT WITH. MY NAME IS MR. JOHN ATTA. I AM
THE MANAGER OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK
GHANA, FIRST LIGHT BRANCH. I AM A GHANAIAN MARRIED
WITH TWO KIDS.

I AM WRITING TO SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE
TRANSFER OF US$3,550.000.00. THIS FUND IS THE EXCESS
OF WHAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANGER MADE AS
PROFIT DURING THE LAST YEAR. I HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED
AN APPROVED END OF THE YEAR REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2004
TO MY HEAD OFFICE HERE IN ACCRA AND THEY WILL NEVER
KNOW OF THIS EXCESS. I HAVE SINCE THEN, PLACED THIS
AMOUNT OF US$ 3,550.000.00 ON A SUSPENCE ACCOUNT
WITHOUT A BENEFICIARY.

AS AN OFFICER OF THE BANK, I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY
CONNECTED TO THIS MONEY THUS I AM IMPELLED TO REQUES T
FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO RECEIVE THIS MONEY INTO YOUR
BANK ACCOUNT. I INTEND TO PART 30% OF THIS FUND TO YOU
WHILE 70% SHALL BE FOR ME. I DO NEED TO STRESS THAT
THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED IN THIS. IT'S
GOING TO BE A BANK-TO-BANK TRANSFER. ALL I NEED FROM
YOU IS TO STAND AS THE ORIGINAL DEPOSITOR OF THIS
FUND. IF YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER, I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR
TIMELY

RESPONSE. PLEASE RESPONSE TO THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS:
johnatta1@zwallet.com

WITH REGARDS,

JOHN ATTA.


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