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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "JULIE MARTINS" <sierraleonegirl_camp7@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 17:59:05 -0800
Subject: WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE.


ATTN,


FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST
CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY
DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN GENUINE APPROVAL
CONSIDERING THE FACTS THAT WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER


BEFORE, I WISH TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE
MYSELF TO YOU.


MY NAME IS MS.JULIE MARTINS FROM SIERRA-LEONE WEST AFRICA.

I AM 23 YEARS OLD AND THE ONLY DAUGHTER OF(CHEIF)SAMUEL
MARTINS. MY FATHER BEFORE HIS DEATH WAS A DIAMOND
MERCHANT IN MY COUNTRY. MY LATE FATHER WAS SHOT BY THE
REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING TO LUSIA A CITY AFTER
FREETOWN THE CAPITAL ALONG WITH MY ELDER BROTHER.


MY BROTHER DIED ON THE SPOT WHILE U.N.PEACE KEEPING
FORCE RESCUED MY FATHER,HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR
MEDICAL TREATMENT WHERE HE LATER DIED AFTER THREE
MONTHS.


BEFORE HIS DEATH HE REAVEALED TO ME AND MY MOTHER
ABOUT THE BOX CONTAINING $12.5 MILLION US DOLLARS.
WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A DIPLOMATIC COMPANY IN GHANA
FOR SAFEKEEPING. MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE
CONTENT OF THE BOX TO THE DIPLOMATIC COMPANY.TO AVIOD
THE OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYE BROWS TO THE FUND.


PRESENTLY MYSELF AND MY MOTHER ARE HERE IN GHANA TO
NOTIFY THE DIPLOMATIC COMPANY FOR THE CLAIMS,AND WE ARE
STAYING IN THE REFUGEE CAMP.
WHEN WE GOT TO THE DIPLOMATIC COMPANY, WE WHERE TOLD
THAT MY FATHER MADE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM THAT THEY
SHOULD NOT RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT TO ANY OF HIS
FAMILY MEMBER WITHOUT A FOREIGN PARTNER, THAT IS WHY
MY MOTHER AND I ARE SEEKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.


THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN
INVEST THIS MONEY,BECAUSE MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS
DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN AFRICA TO AVIOD
SUSPICIONS,AND DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN
COUNTRIES,THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO INVEST IT ABROAD.


FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MYSELF AND MY MOTHER HAVE
AGREED TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE
MONEY.WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS COVERING THE
DEPOSIT AND THE OWNERSHIP WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU
THROUGH FAX OR EMAIL ON REQUEST.

NOTE:I HAVE NEVER DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY PERSON APART FROM YOU,SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS A TOP SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE.


MEANWHILE, I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR
DIRECT TEL/FAX NUMBER FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THIS
TRANSACTION.


BEST REGARDS
JULIE MARTINS
(FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY)



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