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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: ahmed mariam <ahmed_mariam_loko@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 02:25:12 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: We Seek For Help.


ATTN: ,

WITH DUE RESPECT AND HUMILITY I WRITE YOU THIS
LETTER WHICH I BELIEVE WOULD BE OF GREAT INTEREST TO
YOU.I AM MISS MARIAM LOKO , THE DAUGHTER OF THE LATE
DR. KONSONGO LOKO,OF THE BLESSED MEMORY PRIOR TO MY
FATHER ASSASSINATION BY THE REBEL FORCES LOYAL TO MAJOR JOHN PAUL KOROMA, HE WAS THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SIERRA LEONE GOLD AND DIAMOND MINING CORPORATION.

TWO DAYS BEFORE MY FATHER WAS ASSASSINATED, HE
INSTRUCTED ME AND BROTHER TO MOVE OUT OF SIERRA LEONE
IMMEDIATELY, BEFORE THE POWERFUL ECONOMIC COMMNITY OF
WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOMOG) FORCEES INTERVENTED WHICH
EVENTUALLY RESULTED INTO A BRUTAL CIVIL WAR.

WE MANNAGED TO ESCAPE TO ABIDJAN,REPUBLIC
OF COTE D'IVOIRE THROUGH THE HELP OF FATHER'S FRIEND
WHO IS A TRAvLER .WE CAME INTO ABIDJAN PEACEFULY AND
GOD LEADTH US WE ARRIVED,WHICH ALL THESE TIME THESE
PROBLEMS WAS PASSING TROUGH OUR LIFE MY FATHER ISSUSED
SOME DOCUMENTS TO ME THAT HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF
U.S$25.3 MILLION (TWENTY FIVE MILLION THREE HUNDRED
THOSAND UNITED STATED DOLLARS) IN ONE METALIC TRUNK
BOX .HE DEPOSITED THIS MONEY WITH A SECURITY COMPANY
HERE IN ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE,HE TOLD ME THAT HE DID
NOT MADE THE COMPANY KNOW THE REAL CONTENT OF THE
TRUNK BOX.
HE MADE IT CLEAR TO ME AND MY BROTHER THAT WE SHOULD
LOOK FOR SOMEONE ABROAD THAT WILL ASSIST US IN GETTING
THE TRUNK BOX OUT OF AFRICA, WE WANT TO LEAVE COTE D'
IVOIRE ENTIRLY WITH THIS MONEY BECAUSE OF THE PRESENT
SITUATION AND MOSTLY FOR OUR FURTURE.

I WANT YOU TO PLEASE ASSIST US TO CLAIM THE TRUNK BOX.
YOU SHOULD SUPPLY YOUR INFORMATIONS WHERE THIS MONEY
WILL BE SECURED TILL WE COME OVER.YOU SHOULD ALSO
SOURCE FOR GOOD INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY SO THAT WE CAN
INVEST WISELY. WE HAVE IT IN MIND TO REWARD YOU. WE
ARE PREPARED TO GIVE YOU 10% OF THE TOTAL SUM,IF IT WILL BE EASY FOR YOU TO COME DOWN HERE IN ABIDJAN AND CLAIM THE TRUNK BOX OUT FROM THE SECURE SECURITY COMPANY WILL BE SO MUCH HAPPY AND YOU WILL CARRY THE MONEY OUT IMMDIATELY TO YOUR DESTINATION .

THANKS
YOUR'S SINCERELY
MARIAM AND AHMED LOKO





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