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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.James Aboniki." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jamesaboniki@163.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 09:06:38 -0400
Subject: Greetings ...?

Greetings,
 
My name is Mr. James Aboniki, I am the regional manager of a reputable bank based in Ghana, West Africa. I am writing you this proposal in good faith.I am a devoted Christian and a man of peace and I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and I. As the regional manager of the bank where I work here in Ghana, it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office at the end of each business year. In the course of the last year 2013 business report, I discovered that my branch office made excess profit (hidden profit) of Ten Million,Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$10.5M).
 
I have placed this fund in an escrow account in our institution with no beneficiary. As an officer of this bank I cannot be directly connected to this money, so my aim of contacting you is to seek your assistance to receive this money in your bank account and get 30% of the total funds as your commission. I have perfected the banking procedure to enable our head office transfer the funds into your account in less than 10 working days from the date you file an application you receive the fund.
 
I have not met with you in person neither have I had any business relationship with you previously but I am instinctively convinced that you are the ideal person I require to handle the fund for me. I intend to resign my position as a banker and relocate to your Country with my family in the near future. My major concern is to see that this money arrive in your account, I would be very glad should you therefore confirm your willingness to assist me receive this fund.
 
Once you receive the fund, I will depart to meet you to secure my share of the money which I will invest in business in your country.I will require your advise on lucrative investment opportunities in your country.
 
I will want you to use this confidential email address for your reply because of the secrecy of this transaction. jamesaboniki@163.com
 
Always use this email address:jamesaboniki@163.com for purpose of confidentiality which is what this transaction require.
 
Thanks in anticipation,
James Aboniki.

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