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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: "Festus Junior" <soulchild_2000@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2005 13:58:38 +0000
Subject: urgent and confidential

urgent and confidential;

I am Mr. Festus Junior of Barclays Bank Ghana. A multinational
Bank based here in Republic of Ghana, it is my pleasure to contact you on a fitful and urgent fund transfer valued at $54.000.000 U.S. This contact is not by omission or mistake since the fund is the current transfer diversion of our late client near completion. Our client Ms Thomas Cynthia with file no.459880Gre, is involved in the August 14th 2005 Mayhem in larnaka, Greece. She is involved in the air crash that claimed 121 passengers aboard
Helios Airways heading to Athens. For news and more, visit www.bbc.com/news Ms. Thomas Cynthia completed her transfer procedures in good faith, and traveled to Athens to pay for a house she purchased at the cost of $1.400.000 U.S and unfortunately meet the unexpected.
So, I am contacting you to act as her next of kin, since she did not
Leave any other fiduciary to our firm. We have successfully completed the transfer of $4.000.000 to her within two days before her death. You stand to receive $51. 000.000. I am asking for your fidelity to get this fund transferred and secured immediately to avoid dumping via our route of transfer. You are by this e-letter appointed the beneficiary of the remaining $51.000.000 U.S.
You shall use it for imbursement in investment and pay us in installments since we cannot get back the fund back directly to our coffers because it has been shifted to the deceased account.
We shall be your guide and direct you on every step to get this fund
Claimed and deposited in your designated bank account.
I will furnish you with me detailed information(s) when required.
The stages of transfer are….
1. identification
2. Procurement of government legal documents to the claims
3. activation of your bank account
4. Immediate transfer.

Thanks.
Festus Junior


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