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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: Michael Williams <mr.michaelwilliams05@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2021 00:03:47 -0700
Subject: Best Regard To You

--

Dear friend!


This email might come as a surprise to you because you haven't given
me permission to do so and you don't even know me, but before you talk
about me, I want you to forgive me for sending this email without your
permission. I am writing this letter with confidence, believing that
if it is God's will for you to help me and my family, God Almighty
will bless and reward you abundantly. I need an honest and trustworthy
person like you to trust this great transfer project.

My name is Mr. Michael Williams, branch manager of a financial
institution. I got your contact through a trusted source called the
Ghana Chamber of Commerce Database. I am a married Ghanaian and I have
3 children. I am writing to request your assistance in transferring
$12,500,000.00 dollars. This fund is the excess profit of my agency
that I am the manager of last year (ie fiscal year 2020).

I have already sent an annual report for that year to my headquarters
in Accra-Ghana, as I noted with great interest, as they will never
know of this excess. Since then, I've placed this $12,500,000 amount
into an escrow-coded account without a (anonymous) beneficiary to
avoid traces.

As a bank employee, I cannot be directly connected to this money, so I
am obligated to ask for your help in receiving this money in your bank
account in my name. I agree that 45% of that money will be for you as
a foreign partner, provided you provide an account abroad, and 55%
would be for me. I need to emphasize that there is practically no risk
involved in this. It's going to be a bank-to-bank transfer. All I need
from you is to be the original depositor of
this fund so that the fund can be transferred to your account.

If you accept this offer, I will appreciate your timely response to
me. Therefore, I contacted you, I am willing to make an investment in
partnership with you due to your vast experience. So if you are
interested in helping in this endeavor, please contact me for a brief
discussion. through this address {mr.michaelwilliams05@gmail.com}

Mr. Michael Williams,
The Regional Manager,

Anti-fraud resources: