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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: "Yusuf Amin" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <on67@tsamail.co.za>
Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:03:56 +0200
Subject: DEAL

Dearest Friend,

My Name is Mr. Yusuf Amin, am a staff of one of the big Banks in South Africa. I
will give you the name of my Bank and other important information if I receive a positive reply from you.
For security reasons I cannot disclose my full identity to you now until I am sure of your cooperation. I work in the operations dept where I serve as account officer to numerous customers.
One of the Customers whom I worked as his account officer was a wealthy diamond Merchant from Australia.
Because this man was good to me when he was Alive, I took it upon myself to travel
to his country last month, to see if I could locate any of his close relations.

On reaching there I discovered that his only surviving uncle died a few months back.
I sponsored this trip on my own and nobody in the Bank knew I was
undertaking the journey so I did not present any official

report of my Findings in the Bank. Now there are two things I could do with
regards to the money. First, as his accounts

officer, I could formally notify the Bank authorities that the man is dead
and has no next of kin. In this case the money

would be forfeited to the Government after some time. As a matter of fact
this is the proper thing I am supposed to do.

Another thing I can do is to arrange for someone else, a foreigner, to act
as the next of kin of the late man so that he will

claim the money. This is the option that I can do to help anybody and me,
since the Money actually is public fund due to the

fact that my friend was a close ally to the late brutal military president
that looted government Treasury in DRC Congo. And

that is why I have chosen to do it.
I want you to be my Partner. All you would have to do is act as the next of
kin of the dead Man and the whole money in the

account will be transferred to your Account. As the accounts officer to the
late man, I have all the Necessary documents that

will require claiming the money in the Account. The total money in the
account is USD17 million. Your share will be 30%,

which is USD5, 100,000. My own share will be 70%.reach me immediately by
E-mail:( on67@tsamail.co.za ) so that I can give you

further details.For security reasons please this information is not to be
disclosed until the money is successfuly transfered
over to your account.Also provide me with your direct telephone number to reach you.

E-mail:( on67@tsamail.co.za )

Yours truly,

Mr. Amin Yusuf.

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