joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "steven wemba" <stevenwemab000@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 08:34:40 +0200
Subject: FROM: STEVEN WEMBA

FROM: STEVEN WEMBA
PHONE: +27-732405804

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

You may be surprised to receive this letter from me since you do not know me
personally, the purpose of my introduction is that, I am STEVEN WEMBA , the
first son of MICHEAL WEMBA, who was recently murdered in the land dispute in
Zimbabwe. I got your contact from South African Information Exchange
Johannesburg in my search for reliable individual or company to assist me on
transfer business transaction.

Before the death of my father, he had taken me to Johannesburg to deposit
the sum of US $25Million(twenty five million United States Dollars), in one
the private security company, as if he foresaw the looming danger in
Zimbabwe.This money was deposited in a box as germ stones to avoid much
demurrage from Security Company.This amount was meant for the purchase of
new machines and chemicals for the farms and established of new farm in
Swaziland.

This land problem came when Zimbabwean President Mr. Robert Mugabe introduce
a new Land Act reform which wholly affected the rich white farmers and some
few blacks farmers.And this resulted to the killing and mob action by
Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the society. In fact, a lot of
people were killed because of this land reformed Act for which my father
was one of the victim.

It is against this background that, I and my family who are currently
staying in South Africa decided to transfer my father’s money to foreign
account since the law of South Africa prohibit a refugee (asylum seeker) to
open any bank account or to be involved in any financial transaction
throughout the teritorial zone of South Africa. As the eldest son of my
father, I am saddle with the responsibility of seeking a genuine foreign
account where this money could be transferred without the knowledge of my
government who are bent on taking everything we have got. The South African
government seems to be playing along with them. I am faced with the dilemma
of investing this amount of money in South Africa for fear of going through
the same experience in future since both countries have similar political
history. Moreover, the South African Foreign Exchange policy
does not allow such investment for an asylum seeker.

As a reliable person, who I have to entrust my future and of my family in
his hands, I must let you know that this transaction is risk free. If you
accept to assist me and my family all I want you to do for me is to make
arrangements and come to Johannesburg – South Africa, so that you can open a
non-resident account which will aid us in transferring the money into any
account you will nominate overseas. This money I intend to use for
investment.

I have two options for you, firstly you can choose to have certain
percentage of the money for nominating your account for this transaction.Or
you can go into partnership with me for the proper profitable investment of
the money in your country. Whichever the options you want, feel free to
notify me I have also mapped out 5% of this money for all kinds of expenses
incurred in the process of this transaction. If you do not prefer a
partnership I am willing to give you 20% of the money while the remaining
75% will be for my family's investment in your country.

Contact me with the above E-mail or Telephone number while I implore you to
maintain the absolute secrecy required in this transaction.

Yours Faithfully,

STEVEN WEMBA,
(For the Family).

_________________________________________________________________
Need accurate info? Find it fast at MSN Search http://search.msn.co.za

Anti-fraud resources: