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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.

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

Fraud email example:

From: "Andre Donald" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrandredonald1@gala.net>
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:43:45 -0000
Subject: Very Important

From: Mr. Andre Donald

E-mail: mrandredonald1@gala.net

Sir/Madam

My name is Andre Donald, I am an auditor and financial consultant, I am communicating you on venture that will be of immense benefit to both of us. I am aware of the surprise this massage will cause you due to the fact we have not met or known ourselves before, be assured that my contact to you is with good intention believing that you will reciprocate. I got your contact details through the South African Information Exchange Online during my search for a reliable individual/firm that will join hands with me to actualize this venture.


I will not be able to give much detail about this matter for now, but full details will be given once you indicate your interest. I hope you will understand my intention through this brief introduction. During one of our periodic audit in one of the prime bank in South Africa, I discovered a dormant account that was opened in the year 1997 and since 2000 no transaction has been carried out on this account, this account have holding balance of US$27, 483,018.00 my personal investigation proved that the owner of this account died in plane crash along with his wife and children on the 16th February 2000 while traveling on holiday. My efforts to communicate any other of the relative proved abortive, I then resulted in moving the holding amount out of this bank since they have no knowledge of what happened to the account holder. This amount will be sent to government treasury if this information is revealed to the management of this bank, this is why I am soliciting for a capable person that can stand as the next


I therefore wish to know if you can be able to handle this with me, however, I must not fail to inform you that this is highly classified information and must be kept confidential even if you are unable to handle it with me. This is why I am withholding some vital information pending when we get acquainted. We shall discuss ratio and modalities
once you make you decision known to me.


Anticipating your response.

Best regards,

Mr. Andre Donald

Anti-fraud resources: