joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: FAMILY FIRMS <family.firms@gmail.co.za>
Reply-To: FAMILY FIRMS <family.firms01@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 03:17:16 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: IN NEED OF A SINCERE FAMILY ASSISTANCE


FROM:MRS ROSE  FREEMAN
#24, HOMESTEAD AVENUE, BRYANSTON,
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
TEL: +27-78-749-0000     
E-MAIL:martins.freeman@hotmail.com
EMAIL: martins.freeman@gmail.co.za
 
                                                       


           
                                                      STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
Attn:ceo/md,


You may be surprised to receive this letter from me since you do not know me personally. I am Mrs. ROSE  FREEMAN, wife of Late Mr. SMITH FREEMAN, who was murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe on 16th June, 2004. I got your contact through world network online and your company profile, hence I decided to write to you. Before the death of my husband, he had taken our son Mr. MARTINS FREEMAN to South Africa to deposit the sum of US$35.5Million (Thirty Five  Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars), in one of the private security company, as he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe.
 
This money was deposited in a box as a family property to avoid much demurrage from the Security Company. This amount was meant for the purchase of new machines and chemicals for establishment of new farmland in Swaziland. This land problem began when the Zimbabwean President Mr. Robert Mugabe introduced a new Land Reform Act, which wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few black farmers. And this resulted to the killing and mob action by Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the society. In fact, a lot of people were killed because of this land reformed Act for which my husband was one of the victims.
 
 See these sites for more details:
(1) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4247993.stm
(2) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2805381.stm
 
It is against this background that my son MR. MARTINS FREEMAN, who is currently staying in South Africa, decided to transfer my husband's money to a foreign account since the laws of South Africa prohibit a refugee (asylum seeker) to open any bank account or to be involved in any financial transaction throughout the territorial zone of South Africa. I am saddle with the responsibility of seeking a genuine foreign partner who can assist my son with his personal/company's account where this money could be transferred without the knowledge of my government who are bent in taking everything we have. The South African government seems to be playing along with them.
 
I am faced with the dilemma of investing this amount of money in South Africa for fear of going through the same experience in future since both countries have similar political history. Moreover, the South African Foreign Exchange policy does not allow such investment as an asylum seeker. As a person, who I have to entrust my future and that of my family in his hands, I must let you know that this transaction is risk free. And upon acceptance of this proposal you are advised to contact my son MR. MARTINS FREEMAN through the above stated email for more details of the transaction while I implore you to maintain absolute secrecy required in this transaction.
 
I have two options for you; firstly you can choose to have certain percentage of the money for nominating your account for this transaction. Or you can go into partnership with us for the proper profitable investment of the money in your country. Whichever option you choose, feel free to notify me. I have also mapped out 5% of this money for all kinds of expenses incurred in the process of this transaction.
 
If you do not prefer a partnership I am willing to give you 25% of the money while the remaining 70% will be for my investment in your country.
 
Best regards and God bless,
 
Mrs. Rose Freeman



Anti-fraud resources: