joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "A.D Sossou" <asossou@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: ad.sossou@ymail.com
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:39:08 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Attention; Friend.


Attention; Friend.
 
Forgive my indignation if this message comes to you as a surprise and if it might offend you without your prior consent and writing through this channel.
 
I am Mr Ad Sossou, the  Manager to the Atlantic Bank Togo, Your contact was given to me by a very good/ school mate of mine, that works with the Togolisé Chambers of Commerce here in Togo Republic.So I will be pleased to use this chance to intruduce to you a business transaction(deal). You are to relax your mind, because this is REAL.Being the branch manager in Atlantic Bank, I have discovered a very good deal transaction which both of us will benefit from, as far as I am concerned.
 
As its stands, there is a foreign client(customer) in person of Engr.Bruno Nicolas, also a very good business man who has a  sum of US$8.580 Million in his account with our bank(Atlantic Bank)before his suprise death. It was a pity and sorrowfull that Engr.Bruno Nicolas, the wife and their only son died in plane crash.
 
The above sum belongs to our deceased customer late Engr.Bruno Nicolas from Australia who died along with his entire family in the Benin plane crash 2003 and since then the fund has been in a suspense account.
 
After my further investigation, I discovered that Engr.Bruno Nicolas died with his next of kin and according to the laws and constitution guiding this banking institutionstated that after the expiration of (8) eight years, if no body or person comes for the claim as the next of kin, the fund will be channel into national treasury as unclaimed fund. Because of the static of this transaction I want you to stand as the next of kin so that our bank will accord you the recognition and have the fund transfer to your account.
 
The total sum will be shared as follows: 60% for me, 40% for you and expenses incidental occur during the transfer will be incur by both of us.
 
The transfer is risk free on both sides hence you are going to follow my instruction till the fund transfer to your account.
 
More details information with the text of application form will be forwarded to you to breakdown explaining comprehensively what require of you.
 
Your Full Name(s).............................
Your Sex..................................
Your Age..................
Your Home Address...........
Passport / driving license....... 
Marital Status...........
Your Occupation.......                                                       
Your Personal Mobile Number................
Your Personal Tel/Fax Number.....................
 
Yours sincerely.
Mr.A Sossou ( Branch Manager Atlantic Bank). 



Anti-fraud resources: