419 scam: "Ahmed Bello"<webmaster@witty.com.cn> Compesation Check for your Past effort

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "fmf@officeliveusers.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a "New Partner from Paraguay" scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Ahmed Bello" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fmf@officeliveusers.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:38:18 +0200
Subject: Compesation Check for your Past effort

READ THE ATTACHED MAIL CAREFULLY.

Dear Friend,

I am happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds Transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from Poland. Presently I am in France for investment projects with my Own share of the total sum. Meanwhile, I did not forget You’re past efforts and attempts you made in helping me secure the inheriatnce funds,despite that it failed us somehow.

Now contact my secretary in Republic of Benin

Find below his contact information.

Name:Serge Zabo
E-mail: [fmf@officeliveusers.com]

Ask him to send you the total $1,500,000.00 (ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) certified bank Check, which I raised in your favor for your compensation for all the past efforts you have made in helping me in this matter. I appreciated your efforts at that time very much. So feel free and get in touch with my secretary and give him your address where to send the check to you.

Please do let me know immediately you receive the Check to enable us share the joy after all the times of stress. At the moment, I am very busy here because of the investment Projects, which the new partner and I are having at hand, finally, remember that I have forwarded instruction to the secretary on your behalf to receive that money. So feel free to get in touch with him (Serge Zabo) without any delay.

Best regards,
ABarrister Ahmed Bello

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam