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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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Fraud email example:

From: hajiya_mariam@tiscali.co.uk
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 02:15:07 +0100
Subject: THANKS



Dear Friend,

Greetings,

I am Hajia (Mrs.) Mariam Abacha, wife of late Nigerian head of state- Gen.Sanni
Abacha. We have not met before,I got your contact through the web in deep
search for help and I felt Ishould trust you. It is no news telling you
that my family has been going through untold hardship since the death of
my husband on the 8th June 1998.

My family has lost so much including some fixed assets my husband acquired
while in office.Evidently, the pages of all Nigeria dailies, which you can
equally get from Nigeria embassy in your country, will tell better our story.
Even now, our homes are under surveillance, worst of all, the Government
has restored to consficating everything that has to do with our family.
Before the death of my husband, he operated among other business of his
own, bureau de change,which was flourishing with every Government support.
From the bureau de change business, which has now been clamped down by Nigeria
Government, I was able to save USD$24,000,000.00 in cash. I tried to safeguard
it in a security company here in Nigeria but I could not owing to the forces
of the present regime.

Through the help of a close family friend who works in a security company,
I delivered the USD$24 million and moved it out of Nigeria under the label
of photographic materials to a security company in EUROPE. For security
reason,I would not mention the name of the country until I hear from you.

In view of our condition here and the high interest rate the security company
charges, the money could not be safe there. I would therefore need your
honest assistance to move this fund from the Security Company to your nominated
bank account. Once the money is safeguarded in your account, I would require
your directives to enable me invest same in any viable business venture.
If you accept this offer, of assistance you are requested to contact me
via my email address as above. As soon as I receives your acceptance notice,I
will instruct my lawyer to furnish you with the details which includes;
lodging code and clearance permit to enable you clear the consignment from
the Security Company.

Please indicate your telephone numbers to me for us to open communication.
While thanking you for your anticipated co-operation. I look forward to
your urgent reponse on my confidential address as ;hajia_mariam@freemail.et

Best regards
Hajia Mariam Abacha

__________________________________________________
Broadband from an unbeatable £15.99!

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/products/broadband/home.html?code=SM-NL-11AM




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