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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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Fraud email example:

From: "steve dominic" <info@uba-afri.com>
Reply-To: steve_dominic002@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 31 May 2005 02:52:01 +0000
Subject: Hello

I am Steve Dominic by name and i work with United bank for Africa as their accountant,i request your co-operation in the project of USD$25Million that was deposited in my bank, an Iraq  national by name Mr Morteza Ahmadi, made a fixed deposit in our bank on sept 1996 and since then their was no claimat,i sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply,after three month i sent a reminder and finally his employer wrote to inform me that Mr Ahmadi died in automobile accident,that he died without making a will while my attempt to trace his next of kin through Iraq embassy proved abortive.and he did not declare his next of kin in his deposit application form.

The point is that his employers are not aware of his deposit with us,therefore i am the only person who know about Mr Ahmadi's deposit,the whole details relating to Mr Ahmadi's deposit is also with me.I am looking forward for a foreigner like you who will act as the next of kin actually not comiing to my country for the claim but the fund can be wired transfered into your provided account details to the bank.i have worked out modalities of achieving my aim by appointing you as the next of kin as well as to transfer the money abroad for us to share.

If you agree to act as the next of kin to enable me transfer the money to our own benefit,i will give you 30% of entire sum,60% will be for me while 10% will be to take care of all unforeseen expenses as we may incure in the course including  in this project.

Best regards,

Steve Dominic.

 

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