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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: markzuma2001@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 06:34:38 +0200
Subject: PRIVATE AND URGENT

From From:MR MARK ZUMA.
Bills & Exchange Manager
FIRST NATIONAL BUILDING SOCIETY
JOHANNESBURG.
SOUTH AFRICA

Sir,

PRIVATE AND URGENT

I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a huge sum
of money from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction
of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but
I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day.
We decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.

PROPOSITION;
We discovered an abandoned sum of (Twenty Million United states Dollars)
in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along
with his entire family. Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or
relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir.
We cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies
for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our
banking guidelines. Upon this discovery, we now seek your permission
to have you stand as a next of kin to the deceased as all documentations
will be carefully worked out by us for the funds (Twenty Million United
states Dollars) to be released in your favour as the beneficiary's next
of kin.

It may interest you to note that we have secured from the probate an order
of madamus to locate any of deceased beneficiaries. Please acknowledge
receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavour
by furnishing me with the following;

1. Your Full Names and Address.
2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers.
3, Your Bank Details

These requirements will enable us file a letter of claim to the
appropriate
departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the transfer can
be made. We shall be compensating you with 6 {SIX} Million
Dollars on final conclusion of this project, while the rest
shall be for us. Your share stays with you while the rest shall
be for us for investment purposes in your country.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of
the trust we have bestowed in you, I await your urgent email.


Regards,
MR MARK ZUMA


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