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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: "Paul Solu Kone" <mrpaulsolukone@latinmail.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2007 10:58:59 +0100 (CET)
Subject: MUTUAL BENEFIT FROM ENGR. P.S KONE(REPLY ME).


ENGR. PAUL SOLU KONE.
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
COTE D'IVOIRE MARITIME AUTHORITY.
WEST AFRICAN.

DEAR SIR.
IT IS MY HOPE THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL FIND YOU IN THE BEST OF TIMES. MY =
NAME IS ENGR. PAUL SOLU KONE, A EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN WITH COTE D'IVOIRE M=
ARITIME AUTHORITY. I HAVE DECIDED TO FORWARD TO YOU THIS PROPOSAL TO SO=
LICIT FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO FASCILITATE THE TRANSFER OF THIS ONE HUNDR=
ED AND SIXTEEN MILLION USA DOLLARS TO A SAFE ACCOUNT OVERSEAS.

THIS FUND RESULTED FROM AN OVER INVOICED BILL FROM A CONTRACT AWARDED B=
Y THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO AN EXPATRIATE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, UNDER M=
Y WATCH AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CONTRACT AWARDED COMMITTEE. THIS CONTRAC=
T WAS EXECUTED IN 2004 AND COMMISSIONED IN 2005. THE CONTRACTING FIRM H=
AS BEEN PAID THEIR ACTUAL COST FOR THE CONTRACT. WE ARE NOW LEFT WITH T=
HE BALANCE OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN MILLION USA DOLLARS AS THE OVER I=
NVOICED AMOUNT AS WE AGREED WITH THE CONTRACTING FIRM.

HOWEVER, BY OUR GOVERNMENT POLICY/CIVIL SERVICE CODE OF CONDUCT, WE CAN=
NOT OPERATE ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNTS SINCE WE ARE STILL IN PUBLIC SERVICE. =
FOR THIS REASON, I AM SOLICITING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO HAVE THIS FUND =
TRANSFERRED OUT FROM THE CENTRAL BANK OF COTE D'IVOIRE HERE FOR OUR MUT=
UAL BENEFIT.

WE HAVE AGREED TO GIVE YOU 10% OF THE TOTAL FUND AFTER THE TRANSFER, FO=
R YOUR SUPPORT AND ACCEPTANCE OF THIS PROPOSAL, MORE DETAILS SHALL BE G=
IVING TO YOU WITH REGARDS TO TRANSFERRING THE FUND FROM THE BANK HERE.

WE HEREBY NEED YOUR FULL CONTACT DETAILS, TEL/FAX IS MOSTLY NEEDED BECA=
USE ALL DOCUMENTS DETAILS OF THE FUND WILL BE FAXED TO YOU. =20

BEST REGARDS,

ENGR. PAUL SOLU KONE.




Un 2007 de Ins=F3lito, Deporte, Cine o Belleza... =A1Feliz Navidad! htt=
p://pan.starmedia.com/especiales/navidad07/portada/index.html

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