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: "Dr. Frank Addo." <nigoffice87@gmail.com>
Reply-To: frkdo07@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2023 15:22:41 +0000
Subject: YOUR ACCOUNT PROVISION FOR USD10 MILLION DOLLARS.

--
From the desk of Dr. Frank Addo.
Chairman, Contract, Awarding & Auditing
Committee - ECOWAS, Accra Ghana.
Email frkdo07@gmail.com

I am Dr. Frank Addo, chairman of the contract-awarding & auditing
committee of the economic community of west African states (ECOWAS)
with its fund headquarters in Accra Ghana. I am making this contact
with you based on the committee's need for an individual/company who
is willing to assist us with a solution to a money transfer.

This amount $10 M represents the balance of the total contract value
executed on behalf of ECOWAS for supply of hospital equipment from
foreign contracting firm, which the officials over-invoiced
deliberately, of which the actual sum has been paid.

Should you be willing to assist us in the transaction? Your share of
the sum will be 30% of the $10 million, 65% for us and 5% for taxation
and miscellaneous expenses. To enable us commence, You should provide
the followings for immediate kickoff of this deal if it interests you;
your company's names with complete address, tel. and fax numbers.

Thank you and God bless, as I wait in anticipation of your fullest cooperation.

Yours Faithfully,
Your urgent reply is highly needed.
Dr. Frank Addo.

Anti-fraud resources: