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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: "titi mohammed" <titi_mohammed15@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:16:34 +0000
Subject: Urgent Message.

GREETINGS,

MY NAME IS DR.TITI MOHAMMED, PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR
INTERNATIONAL
REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT EQUITORIAL TRUST BANK.

I AM WRITING IN RESPECT OF A FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY BANK (MR WILLIAM BARNES,
OF
AMERICA) WHO PERISHED IN THE PLANE CRASH OF 31 OCTOBER 1999 [WITH EGYPTIAN
AIRLINE 990] WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ABOARD AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE WEBSITE
BELOW

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/world/americas/502503.stm

SINCE THE DEMISE OF MR WILLIAM BARNES, I PERSONALLY HAVE WATCHED WITH KEEN
INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO ONE HAS
COME
TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF USD6.3M, [SIX THREE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS]
WHICH HAS
BEEN WITH OUR BANK HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOSE NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT OF
KIN,
AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO PUT CLAIM AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THIS FUNDS AND THE
BANKING ETHICS HERE DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY MORE THAN SIX YEARS,
BECAUSE AFTER SIX YEARS THE MONEY WILL BE CALLED BACK TO THE BANK TREASURY
AS
UNCLAIMED BILL.

IN VIEW OF THIS I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S FOREIGN TRADE
MISSION
AFTER I WAS CONVINCED IN MY MIND THAT YOU COULD BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN
TO
THIS CLAIM. THE REQUEST OF THE FOREIGNER AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS
IS
OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A NIGERIAN
CANNOT
STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.

I AGREE THAT 30% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGN PARTNER IN
RESPECT
OF PROVIDING AN ACCOUNT WHILE 10% WILL TAKE CARE OF ANY EXPENSES THAT MIGHT
BE
INCURRED IN THE PROCESS OF SUCCEEDING THE TRANSFER AND THE REST WILL BE FOR
ME.
THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT AS I AM ALMOST DUE FOR
RETIREMENT.

UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR ACCEPTANCE, I WILL SEND YOU BY FAX OR E-MAIL A
DRAFT
APPLICATION OF CLAIM WHICH YOU WILL SEND TO THE BANK AS THE NEXT OF KIN AND
THE
NEXT STEP TO TAKE.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS BUSINESS IS HITCH FREE AND
THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE WHOLE REQUIRED ARRANGEMENT HAS
BEEN PERFECTED FOR THE TRANSFER.
PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS:titi_mohammed20@hotmail.com
REMEMBER THIS SHOULD BE VERY CONFIDENTIAL DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM STILL
WORKING WITH THE BANK.

HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST
REGARDS,
DR. TITI MOHAMMED.

PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE EMAIL: titi_mohammed20@hotmail.com

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