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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: "g themba" <gthemba51@middleair.bz.tc>
Reply-To: greg.themba@sify.com
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2008 11:28:29 +0200
Subject: CAN YOU


Dear Friend

As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe
everyone will die someday. I am Sadique Gadaffi, a merchant from Libya,
North Africa .I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer that has defiled
all forms of medical solution and right now I have only about a few months
to live according to medical experts.

I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for
anyone not even myself but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never
generous, my only focus was my business. But now I regret all these, as I
now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all
the money in the world.

In order to make amends from the horrible ways I had lived my life, I willed
and gave most of my properties and assets to my immediate and extended
family members as well as few close friends.

I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul and so, I have decided to
give to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good
deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity
organizations in Sudan, India, Algeria and Malaysia. Since my health has
deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself any more. I once close one of
my accounts and asked my Family members to distribute the money to charity
Organization in Zimbabawe and Pakistan, instead they kept the money to
themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be
contented with what I have left for them. The last of my money which no one
knows about is the huge cash deposit of twenty four million dollars
$24,000,000 that I have with OMEGA SECURITY COMPANY in South Africa. I want
you to help me collect this deposit and dispatch it to charity
organizations.

You can have 5% for yourself if you like, just to cover your time and
effort.

God be with you.

Sadique Gadaffi.

Anti-fraud resources: