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: "mrdesmond onos" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrdesmond_onos@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 02:53:57 +0100
Subject: Mutual Benefit !!!

Dear Friend,
I realize that there are deals all over the internet but it can be a little overwhelming to go through this message. I am Mr Desmond Onos, the director of auditing and accounting section of bank of Africa (BOA) Ouagadougou Burkina Faso west-Africa, with due respect and regard. i have decided to contact you on a business transaction that will be very beneficial to both of us at the end of the transaction. This message may come to you as a surprise and i know it will be very difficult for you to believe due to the rate of fraudulent activities now in place, but this is quite different if you can grant me the chance to prove it.

During our investigation and auditing in this bank, my department came across a very huge sum of money belonging to a deceased customer Mr.Ekere Sule Ejeh. Who died on the 4th July 2009 without any registered next of kin and as such the fund now has an open beneficiary mandate. Upon your reply I will give you details on how the transaction will be executed, and I’m assuring you that it is 100% risk free hence you co-operate with me.

The said amount was (u.s $2.8.m, Two million eight hundred united states dollars). as it may interest you to know, I got your impressive information through yahoo search here in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso after praying on a reliable partner who could assist me wholeheartedly without betraying me. I need your urgent reply via this private email id (mrdesmond_onos@yahoo.com )

Best regards and expecting your response.
Mr.Desmond Onos

Anti-fraud resources: