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: "collins obi" <collinsedoobi@msn.com>
Reply-To: obiedocollins@yahoo.it
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2005 10:15:52 +0000
Subject: Hello

obi collins & Associates
(solicitors$Advocates)
Plot 234,oloku crescent,
Victoria island,
Lagos - Nigeria.
Attn,

I am obi collins , an attorney at law. A deceased client of mine, by name
Mr.Troy Maurice,who hereinafter referred to as my client,died in a Bomb
Blast in Idumabgo-Lagos Island On 2 February, 2003,with his wife and their
only daughter.I have made several enquiries to his embassy here to locate
any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

I am contacting you to act as the next of kin to my late client,regarding
the inheritance claims of US$11.5million left behind by my client before it
gets confisicated or declared unserviceable by the bank where the fund was
deposited.

The bank has already issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have
the account confisicated within the next fourteen official working days.
For the fact that I have been unsuccesfull in locating the relatives for
over 2 years now, I seek the consent to present you as the next of kin to
the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account be paid to you.

On receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the sharing
ratio and modalities for transfer.I have all necessary information and legal
documents needed to back your claims as the beneficiary of the fund.

All I require from you is your honest and total cooperation to enable us see
this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed under
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the
law,which makes it 100% risk and hitch free.

Furthermore, you may view the website about the news of the blast for
confirmation:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2718295.stm
Awaiting your urgent response.

Yours Faithfully,
obi collins


Anti-fraud resources: