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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: "FRANK BRIGGS" <frankggs@jumpy.it> (may be fake)
Reply-To: frankggs@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2005 13:02:12 +0100
Subject: BUSINESS INVESTMENT.

FROM:MR. FRANK BRIGGS
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT.
ECO BANK PLC OF NIGERIA.
ATTN:My Good Friend,
I am Mr. FRANK BRIGGS , the director in charge of Auditing and accounting section of ECO BANK PLC UWANI BRANCH ENUGU NIGERIA. With due respect and regard, I have decided to contact you on a business transaction that will be very beneficial to both of us. During our auditing and investigation in our bank recently, my department came across a very huge sum of money belonging to one Mr.Charles Ballassi an America Oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,who is dead,The deceased person who died on 31 October 1999 in a plain crash and his account has been dormant in this this Bank since 1999 and no person could come for the claim of the fund in our custody not even from his family or relation. After we have found this we sent a message to the deseased,not knowing that he is dead,we sent another reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employees, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that Mr.Charles!
Ballassi with his wife died in the plane crash of 31 October 1999 on Egyptian air with other passengers on board as you can confirm it yourself via the website below:

http://www.greatdreams.com/PassEAir990.htm

A close investigation revealed that the Deceased has no existing relation as next of kin. The said amount is U.S $29.5 million, I want you to collaborate with me to put a claim on this money as the next of kin of the deceased account holder,Mr.Charles Ballassi. I and my colleague will present you as the next of kin. Meanwhile all arrangement to put claim over this fund as the bonafide next of kin to the deceased already made, I assure that we will get the required approval and transfer this money to your designated foreign bank account,this arrangement has been put in place,as directives and needed information will be relayed to you as soon as you indicate your interest and willingness to assist us in this risk free and highly confidential transaction. On your reply, we shall discuss the sharing ratio for each party in this transaction. Please feel free to contact me immediately via my private email for further directive and clarification on thi!
s transaction. I look forward to a mutual beneficial business relationship with you.
Thanks,
Mr. Frank Briggs


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