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.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: "paul england" <paulengland4@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: paul_england2@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 12:09:24 +0000
Subject: SECRET AND CONFIDENCIAL.

Dear Sir/Madam,
 
First I will like you to take your time to go over this mail carefully and
with patience.Please, this is a matter of urgency, this is because I need
your help and I need it very quickly too.At this stage I will like to
introduce my self.
 
I am paul england of barclays bank plc london soho branch And Personal
Accountant Assistant to the first lady of the Federal republic of Nigeria
who died on the 22nd, October, 2005 in a Spanish Hospital after undergoing surgical operation.
 
 
Before her death the First Lady, Chief Mrs. Stella Obasanjo gave me a very
huge amount of money to be transferred to an off-shore Security Company
abroad. In any case the funds were successfully transferred and it is
currently in a safe deposit abroad. All the papers to legally claim the
funds are with me but safely put in a place that nobody can discover except
I say so, the amount involved in this transfer is US$60.5m (sixty Million
Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).
 
I need your urgent assistance in getting this fund out of the Security
Company before her husband begins to find a way of recovering her funds
abroad. So that upon my retirement, we can successfully invest this fund
together in your country under your supervision. Therefore, I sincerely want
your help in the area of investment Opportunities in your country.
In Research, Real estate and properties, computers and Other things that
will bring real returns for my investment worth.Please, can you help me by
receiving the funds as the beneficiary? I assure you that there is no risk
involved as the funds is already out of Nigeria.All you need is just the
papers to put forward before the Security Company and the funds will be
released to you promptly.
 
Please let me have the understated information:
 
1 your full name and address
2 your telephone and fax number
3 your first and second page of your international passport.
 
These papers I am ready to send to you as soon as I hear from you with
personal information about your self. Be informed that you will be
compensated with 20% of the funds upon collection if you agree to help me, and the rest we can put into business.
 
I await your urgent response. I will fill you in with more information when
I have heard from you. Please do provide me with your phone and fax numbers when Responding.
 
Thanks and God bless as
 
I look forward to your favorable reply, on my alternative email address :
 
Yours sincerely,
 
MR PAUL ENGLAND
 
(ACCOUNT BARCLAYS BANK PLC SOHO BRANCH)

Anti-fraud resources: