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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: Eric Desmond Titu <eric_desmond1982@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 03:33:50 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: SEASONS GREETINGS FROM ERIC.


05/11/2009.

DEAR FRIEND.
 
FIRST AND FOREMOST,I MUST
SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT
MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN GENUINE APPROVAL CONSIDERING
THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER BEFORE, I WISH TO USE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU.
 
I AM ERIC DESMOND KALABI I AM 22 OF AGE AND THE SECOND SON OF (CHIEF) TITU KLABI.
 
MY
FATHER BEFORE IS DEATH HE WAS A DIAMOND MERCHANT IN MY COUNTRY.HE SHOT
BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELING TO LUCIA A CITY AFTER FREETOWN THE CAPITAL ALONG WITH MY ELDER BROTHER MY BROTHER
 
BEFORE HIS DEATH HE REVEALED TO ME AND MY MOTHER ABOUT
THE BOX CONTAINING $12.5 MILLION US DOLLARS WHICH HE SECRETLY DEPOSITED
WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA AS CONTAINING FAMILY VALUABLES FOR
SAFEKEEPING, MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE TRUE CONTENT OF THE BOX TO
THE SECURITY COMPANY TO AVOID THE OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYE BROWS TO
THE FUND.
 
PRESENTLY
MY MOTHER AND I WE ARE IN GHANA TO NOTIFY THE SECURITY COMPANY FOR THE
CLAIMS,AND WE ARE PRESENTLY PUTTING UP IN THE REFUGE CAMP BECAUSE WE
CAN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE PAYING THE HOTEL FEES.
 
WHEN WE GOT TO
THE SECURITY COMPANY, WE WHERE TOLD THAT MY FATHER MADE AN AGREEMENT
WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY THAT THEY SHOULD NOT RELEASE THE CONSIGNMENT
BOXES TO ANY OF HIS FAMILY MEMBER WITHOUT A FOREIGN BENEFICIARY, THAT
IS WHY MY MOTHER AND I ARE SEEKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO STAND AS OUR
FOREIGN BENEFICIARY TO THE CONSIGNMENT.
 
THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO
LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY,BECAUSE
MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN AFRICA 
DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES,THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO INVEST
ABROAD.
 
FOR
YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MYSELF AND MY MOTHER HAVE AGREED TO GIVE YOU
30% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR YOUR ASSISTANT .WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL
DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT INCLUDING THE CERTIFICATE OF OWNERSHIP
WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU BY EMAIL ON REQUEST.
 
NOTE:I HAVE NEVER
DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY PERSON APART FROM YOU,SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS
TRANSACTION AS A TOP SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE.
 
I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO ME YOUR DIRECT TEL/FAX NUMBER FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.
 
BEST REGARDS,
 
ERIC TITU KALABI.
DIED ON THE SPOT WHILE U.N.PEACE KEEPING FORCE RESCUED MY FATHER,HE WAS
TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED AFTER THREE
MONTHS.






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