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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "MARIAM ABACHA" <m2abacha@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 00:08:20 -0800
Subject: PLEASE HELP ME URGENTLY

Dear Friend,

First of all I will like you to kindly view these sites as they will help
you to
believe this story and understand it as well.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/845456.stm
http://news.bbc.couk/2/hi/africa/2282366.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4079607-103676,00.html

This business proposal to you is strictly confidential, with due respect.
Sorry for any inconvenience or stress this my mail may bring to you may be
through reading it or otherwise, Since we have not known ourselves or met
previously. Despite that, I am constrained to write you this letter because
of the urgency it deserves.

By way of self introduction, I am Mariam Abacha, the widow of the late Gen.
Sanni Abacha former Nigerian Military Head of State who died mysteriously as
a result of Cardiac Arrest. Since after my husband’s
death my family is under restriction of movement and that not withstanding,
we are being molested, policed and our Bank Account both here and abroad are
being frozen by the Nigerian Civilian Government.

Following the sudden death of my husband General Sani Abacha the late;
former head of state of Nigeria in june 1998, I have been thrown into a
state of utmost confusion, frustration and hopelessness by the present
civilian administration, I have been subjected to physical and psychological
torture by the security agents in the country. My first son was just
released from detention some time ago by the Nigerian Government for an
offence he did not commit. As a widow that is so traumatized, I have lost
confidence with anybody within the country.

Following the recent discovery of my husband’s Bank Account by the Nigerian
Government with Swiss Bank in which the huge sum of S$700Million and
DM450Milllion was logged, I was able to conceal and move out the sum of
US$20Million, which was secretly lodged in a trunk box (CONSIGNMENTS)and
deposited with a Security Company abroad as materials of Inheritance.
I therefore personally decided to contact you in confidence and also appeal
to you seriously and religiously for your urgent assistance to move this
money into your country where I believe it will be safe since I cannot leave
the country due to restriction of movement imposed on the members of my
family by the Nigerian Government.

You will be contacted by my attorney once you respond to me so that he works
out modalities towards the effective completion of this transaction.

Upon your acceptance, we will let you know the percentage and also work out
other modalities that will be beneficial to both of us.

Please reply urgently and treat with absolute confidentiality and sincerity.
We have also planned on how we invest this fund in your country on any
lucrative venture as soon as you agree and we conclude.

Best regards and may God bless you.

Hajia Mariam abacha(Mrs.)


Anti-fraud resources: