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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: "michael sondoko" <michaelsondoko@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 10:12:10 +0000
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

MR. MICHAEL SONDOKO
48 JOHNSON ST JOHANNESBURG
TEL:27-73-18-31-661
FAX:27-11-507-65-16
EMAIL:michaelsondoko@hotmail.com

Dear Sir/Madam,


PROPOSAL FOR URGENT BUSINESS ASSISTANCE.

My name is MR.Michael Sondoko,the elder son of Mr.Deiro Sondoko, of
Zimbabwe. This might be a surprise to you about where I got your contact
address. I got your contact address from the South African information
centre. during the current war against the farmers in Zimbabwe from the
supports of our President Robert Mugabe to claim all the white-owned farms
to his party members
and his followers, he ordered all white farmers to surrender all farms to
his party members and his
followers.

My father is One of the best farmers in our country and because he did not
support Mugabes ideas,Mugabes supports invaded my fathers farm and burnt
everything in the farm,killing my father and made away with a lot of items
in my fathers farm.

Before his death,my father had deposited a huge amount of money in a
Security Company in Johannesburg,South Africa the sum of US$8,5 MILLION
(EIGHT MILLION FIVE HUNDERD
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS).After the death of my father, we decided to
move to the Republic of South Africa where he had deposited the money in the
Security Company as valuables.

So I decided to contact overseas firm and a company that will assist me to
move this money out of South Africa because as an asylum seeker we are not
allowed to operate any Bank Account within South Africa.We have agreed to
offer you 20% of the total sum for your assistance,5% will be mapped out for
any expenses that may be incurred in the course of this transaction while
75% will be for me and my family to invest in your country.

All I want you to do is to furnish me with your entire personal phone and
fax numbers for easy
communication.You can contact me on the above Telephone and fax numbers.Note
that this transaction is 100% Risk free and absolutely confidential.

Thanks and God bless.

Best Regards

Mr. Michael Sondoko,

(For the Family.)

_________________________________________________________________
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