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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: Micheal Cole <esmitwally2@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mikece360@qq.com
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 11:29:10 +0100
Subject: A must read for you.

Dear Sir,

I must first introduce myself to you. My name is Micheal Cole, I'm an
American working in UK as a personal assistant to late Engr. Kewal
Pajpul, an Indian National who was a gold merchant based in London
United Kingdom. and On the 19th of January 2012, my Boss Engr. Kewal
Pajpul, traveled to Kano State in the northern part of Nigeria of West
Africa to seal up a contract deal with a Mining firm based in Kano
State, but unfortunately he was killed by the coordinated bombing and
gun attacks in Kano by the Boko Haram Sect an Islamic religious sect
in Nigeria, in which over 100 people were killed on the 20th January
2012, see Nation Newspaper of 21st January 2012 or this website:
(http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/21/us-nigeria-blast-id
USTRE80J1WO20120121)

Before his death, he deposited the sum of $22.5M US dollars with the
bank meant for the purchase of a gold field. Since his death, the
business could not continue which made me to demand back the funds
from the bank as a result of the Boko Haram Sect an Islamic religious
sect in Nigeria, I resolved not to continue with the purchase of the
gold field in Kano and being his personal assistant I have concluded
with the bank to move this funds out for investment on a profitable
yielding investment. A viable business venture, real estate or other
suitable business of benefits.

Following to the meeting held on the 3rd of February 2014. The
management and board of directors of the Syndicate Bank, London.
Instructed the bank to release all unclaimed funds still with the bank
till date. Now I want to move this amount of $22.5M that is directly
in my control, as the bank agreed to release this funds to me being
his personal assistant to Late Engr. Kewal Pajpul,Hence I am
contacting you right now to receive this $22.5M for investment in your
country. You will be made the true beneficiary of this funds $22.5m
with all the legal documents of claim in your name and copies of the
documents will be sent to you for your personal perusal.

Note that this will be executed within 7 working days, your urgent
response to this mail will be very much appreciated so as to provide
you with more details.

Yours Truly
Micheal Cole

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