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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: Mariam Amer Terfas <marinabuzed47@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 09 Oct 2015 07:11:31 +0100
Subject: Please I Really Need Your Help


=C2=A0
Dear Faithful One,

I am writing this mail with tears and sorrow from my heart asking for your
help, I know this mail might come to you as a surprise, but due to
unsolicited nature of my situation here i decided to contact you for your
help and assistnace, I know we have not met to each other before. But I got
your contact from international directory when i was searching for a
trustworthy person who will understand our present condition and come to
our rescue.

My name is Mrs. Mariam Amer Terfas, from Tripoli- LIBYA. I am married to
Late Mr. Amer Salah Terfas, who was the Former Director =C2=A0of an investm=
ent
company owned by Gaddafi's son, Saif Al-Islam. He was sentenced to death
alongside with the son of Libya=E2=80=99s former Leader, Muammar Gaddafi. M=
y
Husband was charged with embezzlement and transfer of the misappropriated
funds to Tunisia to support a crackdown on those involved in the uprising.
After his death sentence; the government has frozen our assets and
confiscated our properties. =C2=A0I managed to travelled down to Burkina Fa=
so
where i am living now with my only daughter.

Read More About My Story:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/28/saif-al-islam-sentenced-death-=
by-court-in-libya-gaddafi-son

However, I am searching for an honest and trustworthy person, who will
assist and help me to transfer the sum of $5.6Million (Five Million six
hundred thousand U.S.Dollars) which was deposited in my daughter's name in
one of the banks here in Burkina Faso, which is the only thing left for us
as family.

Please if you have idea of any business in your country where we can invest
the fund, kindly get back to me urgently for us to discuss on how to
transfer the fund to you, While I will come over to your country with my
daughter to leave and invest the fund.

Moreover, due to the problems in my country Libya, I find it necessary to
diversify our investments to outside my country to safe guard against the
future of my daughter. I am willing to offer you 20% of the total funds,
=C2=A0while the balance shall be my capital investment in your country once=
the
fund transferred into your custody.

=C2=A0Moreover, you will also help me by recommending a nice School in your
country so that my Daughter can complete her studies, while i will enter
into Business as you will advice me, please I am sincere need your humble
assistance in this regards and your suggestions and ideas will be highly
regarded. I plead with you to consider our situation at hand with good
heart and and see if you can be of a help to actualize our future.

I am expecting to read from you soon,
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Mariam Amer Terfas.
=C2=A0

=C2=A0

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