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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: "STEPHEN COLE(ESQ)" <stephencole13@inbox.lv>
Reply-To: stephencole190@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 21:02:38 +0300
Subject: URGENT REPLY


Hello ,

I am Mr Stephen Cole [ESQ.], the attorney to the late Mr. Perry
Mac-Ford.

Engr Perry Mac-Ford who is a national of your country, who tills his
death, was a Contractor with cappa and dalberto/Moenier Oil & Gas
Consult and London Ports authority.

Here in after shall be referred to as my direct client.

Mr. Perry Mac-Ford died in an auto crash accident on his way back
home, on 21st Sept 1999.

Unfortunately for him and his three kids, lost their lives
immediately in the

event of the accident, while the wife was taken to the hospital where
she died three days later.

The very reason that prompted me to send you this email is that the
bank to my late client called me last week urged me to provide the
next of kin to Mr. Perry Mac-Ford. The bank has also told me to
present together with all the legal documents backing the intended
claim by his next of kin who is also the beneficiary to the amount of
seven million United States dollars [$7,000,000] deposited by my late
client Perry Mac-Ford before his death.

After the meeting held by the Executives of the Bank with me

as the personal attorney to the late Engineer they have all mandated
me to contact the next of kin to my late client.

Consequently i have contacted you to assist in claiming this fund as
the beneficiary of the account of our late client, because i do want
to make you the next of kin to my late client, as you will stand as
the next of kin to make this claim in the account valued Seven
million United States dollars [$7,000,000].

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this
deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legal
arrangement that will protect

you from any breach of the law.

Please, if you are willing to transact this business with me, kindly
get back to me as soon as you received this email with your full
name, phone number, in your return email. Looking forward to your
response.
Attorney-at-law

STEPHEN COLE [ESQ]

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