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: Otabil Mensah <recruitmente7@msn.com>
Reply-To: otabilmensahhh@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2015 12:02:09 +0000
Subject: Dear Friend.


Dear Friend.

I am surprised not getting a response from the earlier mail I sent to you.

Let me start by introducing myself properly to you. I am Mr. Otabil
Mensah, the Bank Manager of a Financial Institution, I am a Ghanaian
married with 3 kids, I am the Personal account manager to Mr Pres
Nimes Ekwona Demaudage a citizen of Nauruan Republic, who died in
Ghouta chemical weapons attack in Syria on the 20th August 2013 during
a business trip. He was a supplier of High Tech Machineries, plants
and equipment for the renovation of our international airport. Prior
his demise, he secured a contract of US$21,000,000 from our aviation
ministry which he received a 64.3% mobilization fee of USD$13,500,000
and successfully executed the contract. The 35.7% balance of his
payment amounting to USD$7,500,000 due to him was paid into his
account few months after his sudden Death.

Unfortunately he did not properly introduce any beneficiary to his
account at his demise and I have tried to reach his family but all
efforts proved void, hence my contacting you are to request your
assistance to stand as the next of kin to Mr. Pres so that my bank can
transfer the funds to your account, I agree that we share the funds
40% for you and 60% for me, also my 60% share will also be invested in
your country under your care.

I understand this might be against your ethical belief and personal
indoctrination but life is not often what we think it is. I did not
mastermind the death of my client. If there were something I could
have done officially to have this money sent to his real relatives,
believe me, I would have done it since my religion forbids to take
somebody else thing but, frankly speaking, it will be stupid of me to
leave this funds in my bank.

Now, as an officer of the bank, I cannot be directly connected to the
fund which make me to request for your assistance to stand as the next
of kin to Mr Pres N. E. Demaudage to receive the fund. Kindly get back
to me on this id( otabilmensahhh@gmail.com )for a brief discussion on
how to proceed. Please do treat this information as Top secret. Thanks
for your understanding.

Please let me know your concerns.

Regards
Mr. Otabil Mensah

Anti-fraud resources: