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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: "fred brown" <frdbrown1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: barrister_fredbrown1@yahoo.it
Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 02:59:20 +0100
Subject: ATTN:Confidential.

Legal Practictioner,
Justice Barrister Fred Brown {Esq} (Barrister Fred Brown & Associates),
Head Office: 128 Broad street,
Lagos Nigeria.

OUR CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS MATTER.

Dear ,

I am Barrister Fred Brown, I am the Personal Attorney to Engr.Michael Llyod
national of your country, who used to work with Chevron Company in
Nigeria.On the 25th of july 2000, my client, his wife and their
threechildren were involved in a Air France concord plane crash bound for
New York with his family.You can read more on the link below:...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm. Unfortunately they all
Lost their lives in the event of the crash, since then I have made several
enquiries to your Embassy to Locate any of my clients extended relatives,
this has also proved unsuccessful.After these several unsuccessful attempts,
I decided to trace his Relatives over the Internet, to locate any member of
His family but of no avail, hence I contacted you.I contacted you to assist
in repatriating the money in addition, property left behind by my client
before they get Confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank Where this
huge deposits were lodged.Particularly, the Bank where the deceased Had an
account valued at about US$10 Million Dollars. Consequently, the Bank issued
me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the Account the next ten
official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the the
relatives For over 5 years now I seek your consent to present you as the
next of kin of the deceased since you areFrom the same country, So that the
proceeds of this Account valued atUS$10 Million dollars can be paid to you
and then you and I Can share the money.60% to me and 30% to you, while 10%
should be for expenses or taxes your Government may require. I have all the
necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may
make.All I require from you is your Telephone and Fax Number; these will be
used to obtain an Application of Claim from the Bank. Your honest
cooperation will be needed to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee
that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect
you from any breach of the law. Please your urgent respond is needed to this
matter, as I will advice you contact me to discuss further.

Best Regards,
Barrister Fred Brown. (Esq)
NEXT OF KIN TO THE LATE ENGR. MICHAEL LLYOD

_________________________________________________________________
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